IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3} 


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M.0    I^Kf  «£ 


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Ptrtographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WBT  MAIN  S7MIT 

WnSTn,N.Y.  USM 

(716)872-4503 


CIHM/rCMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHJVI/ICiVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historicai  IMicroraproductions  /  institut  Canadian  da  microraproductio-.ia  liistoriquas 


Tcchnicel  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notaa  tachniquat  at  bibliographiquaa 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  avaiiabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


0 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I    Covars  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagAa 

Covars  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  rastauria  at/ou  palliculAa 


I     I   Cnvar  titia  missing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  maps/ 

Cartas  gAographiquas  an  coulaur 

Colourad  inic  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  biacit)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 

Colourad  platas  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planchas  at/ou  illustrations  an  coulaur 


Bound  with  othar  maturial/ 
Rail*  avac  d'autras  documanta 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadowa  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  sarr^e  paut  causar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
distortion  la  long  da  la  marga  IntAriaura 

Blank  laavas  addad  during  raatoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  possibia,  thasa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
II  )<a  paut  qua  cartainaa  pagaa  blanchas  aJoutAas 
lors  d'una  rastauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
mala,  lorsqua  cala  Atait  possibia,  cas  pagas  n'ont 
paa  6t4  f  limAas. 

Additional  commants:/ 
Commantairaa  suppMmantairaa: 


L'Inatitut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  4t4  possibia  da  sa  procurer.  Laa  d4taila 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut<Atra  uniquaa  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifiar 
una  imaga  raproduita,  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normals  da  f ilmaga 
sont  indiquAs  ci-daasous. 


D 
D 
D 
Q 
D 
IZl 
D 
D 
D 
D 


Colourad  pagaa/ 
Pagna  da  coulaur 

Pagas  damagad/ 
Pagas  andommagtes 

P'lgas  rastorad  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagas  rastaurtea  at/ou  palliculAas 

Pagas  diacolourad,  stained  or  foxad/ 
Pagas  dAcolortea,  tachatAas  ou  piquiaa 

Pages  dotachad/ 
Pagas  dAtachtes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparanca 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  in^gaia  da  I'impreasion 

Inciudas  supplamantary  matarial/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplAmantaire 

Only  adition  avaiiabia/ 
Sauia  Edition  diaponibia 

Pagas  wholly  or  partially  obacurad  by  arrata 
slips,  tissuaa,  ate,  hava  baan  rafiimed  to 
ensure  the  bast  possibia  imaga/ 
Las  pagaa  totalament  ou  partiallament 
obacurcias  par  un  fauillat  d'arrata,  una  palure, 
etc.,  ont  tti  filmAea  A  nouvaau  da  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meiliaura  image  possibia. 


Thia  itam  la  filmad  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiqu*  ci-daasous 

10X                           14X                            18X                           22X 

26X 

aox 

! 

7 

12X 

16X 

aDX 

24X 

2SX 

32X 

Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  hM  b««n  raproduead  thanks 
to  tha  gaiiaroslty  of: 

Ntw  Brunivyiek  MuMum 
Saint  John 


L'axamplaira  film4  fut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
g4n*rosit4  da: 

N«w  Brunswick  IMuMum 
Saint  Jolin 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tho  baat  quality 
poaalbia  considaring  tha  condition  and  legibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  eontraot  apacif icationa. 


Las  imagas  suivantas  ont  4tA  raproduitat  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  conditiona  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copiaa  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  fllmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  eovar  and  ending  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printad  or  illuatrated  impree- 
sion.  or  the  bawfc  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copiaa  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  psge  with  a  printed  or  illuatrated  impree> 
sion.  and  ending  on  the  laat  page  with  a  printad 
or  illuatrated  impreeaion. 


The  laat  recorded  frame  on  eech  microfiche 
shell  contain  the  symbol  —^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"). 
¥vhichever  appliaa. 


Laa  axemplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  90 
papier  eat  imprimAe  sent  filmte  •n  comman9ant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  •!%  tarminant  soit  par  la 
darniire  page  qui  comporta  una  amprainte 
d'impraasion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  le  caa.  Toua  laa  autras  axemplairaa 
originaux  sent  filmis  an  commandant  par  la 
pramlAre  page  qui  comporte  una  amprainte 
dimpreaaion  ou  d'iiluatration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darnlAre  pege  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  dea  symbolaa  suivanta  spparaitra  sur  la 
darniire  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbols  <-^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  la 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charta.  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different!:  reduction  ratioa.  Thoae  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  expoeure  ara  filmed 
beginning  in  ttie  upper  left  hand  comer,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  framea  aa 
required.  The  following  diagrama  iiluatrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartaa,  pianchea,  tableaux,  ate.  pauvant  Atra 
fiimte  i  dea  taux  da  reduction  diff4rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  eat  trop  grand  pour  Atra 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  ii  est  film*  k  partir 
da  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  ft  droita, 
at  de  haut  an  baa,  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagea  niceaaalre.  Lea  diagrammea  suivanta 
iiluatrant  la  m4thoda. 


1  2  3 


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THE  AUI  8  0  1946 

new  BRUNSWICK 
MUSEUM 


S  7  >  5 


THE  BLESSED  DEAD; 


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%  Sermon 


I'KEACHED   OCTOBER    SIXTH,    1878.    IN    THE    REFORMED    TRES 
liVTEKIAN    CHL'KCH,    CORNWAI.LIS.    N.  S. 


UN  iM  <  ASIIIN  111-    rill     1H:\III    OF     IIIC    rA^InK, 


Rev.  WILLIAM  SOMMERVILLE,  A.  M. 


Willi  A   lilOCKAI'IIICAI.  SKKTCII. 


Rkv.    a.    McLEOD    STAVKLY, 

si'.  john,  n.  i!. 


New  York  : 
ANSON    D.    F.    RANDOLPH    &    COMPANY, 

</»  DROADWAY,  i:ohni.;r  30T11  Sr, 

St.  John,  N.  B.  : 

i!  a  r  n  k  s  >-t  c  o . ,  p  r  i  n  c  v.   w  i  i,  l  1  a  m  s  j'  k  k  k  i  . 

r.  a  ii.  morrow,  chari.ottk  si  rkkl'. 


/ 


IW 


'»! 


I.   W.    f'HATT,    Printkh, 

Nos.  73    r.p  ,g  I'iMuN  SiKFi. 


£3HBfcul 


'>i^:f(j'^'-M' 


^'*^"^^*-* 


1 


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lo    I  UK 


FAMILY    AND    C  ()  N  (J  R  KG  A  T  I  ()  \ 


OK    rilK    I.ATK 

Rev.   VVM.    SO.VI.MERVII.LK,  A. 


M. 


mis  MKMORIAI,  DISCOrKSK,   I'lMlLISHKlJ   AT    TIIK 
Al  KKl    ITO.NATK.l.V    I  NSl  K||!|.l), 


IK    kK(JlKSI,   |> 


l!V     lllllk    I  kIKNI* 


A.  McLkod  Stavei.v 


i  i      > 


i 


ULBJl 


ihr  ^Ussirtl  ^(nd. 


ft 


Hkv,  xiv.  I  J.  Ami  I  lie, ml  a  \uicc  fioin  Iiim\(Mi  liiyinj.'  uiiln  nif.  Wiilf, 
Blessed  are  the  dead  wliicli  dii  iii  tin-  Lord  from  lieiitefoUli  :  Vea,  siiili  tlii- 
Sjiirit,  thai  they  iiiny  n^si  rri>iii  tht-ii  I.iIxm^;    iikI  thcii  works  dn  ToIIoxn'  ihi-iii 

"Such  honor  have  ull  Ilis  suiiUs;"  and  what  [Uv  writer  ot  tlic 
hookol  Kevehition  saysot  his  epistles  may  he  said  of  the  words 
now  read  as  the  sid>ject  of  our  present  meditation.  They  were 
written  that  the  (Christian's  joy  may  be  full.  With  sue  ha  record 
as  our  text  contains — present  to  the  inind  of  the  believer,  Ik-  need 
not  jrrieve  immoderately  for  those  loved  ones  wlu)  neither  lived 
Tior  died  in  vain,  and  who  al  last  have  come  to  the  jrrave, 
whether  in  the  dew  of  yoiitli.  or  in  a  full  ajre,  like  a  shock  of 
corn  in  its  season. 

Now,  surrouiuled  by  th.'  falliiii^  leaves  of  an  early  autumn, 
we  have  committed  to  the  dust  and  covered  with  the  sod  our 
beloved  dead.  The  widow  may  weep,  the  son  or  daughter  may 
weep,  the  relative  or  friend  may  weep,  the  congrejjalion  may 
weep,  but  not  in  hopeless  sorrow;  foi  that  husband,  that  father, 
that  friend,  that  pastor  who  has  been  taken  frotn  us  still  lives. 
Jesus  said  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life:  he  that  believcth 
in  Me  though  he  were  dead  yet  shall  he  live;  and  whcsoevcr 
liveth  and  believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die.  Helievest  thou 
this?"  And  again,  "  If  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose  again, 
even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him." 

".Vsleep  ill  Jesus!  hlessed  sleep, 
Kroin  which  none  ever  wakes  to  weep. 
.\sleep  in  Jesus!  ])eaceful  rest, 
Whose  waking  is  supremely  blest." 

There   is  something  still  in  death,  as   the  law  of  our  fallen 


;   I 


tf 


being,  which,  disguise  it  as  we  will,  leads  us  to  regard  it  as  a 
great  calamity  ;  and  it  the  aged  believer,  and  especially  the 
aged  minister,  is  taken  away  from  amongst  the  living,  and  we 
lose  his  instruction,  his  example,  his  influence  and  his  prayers, 
we  are  ready  to  exclaim  with  the  Psalmist  :  *'  Help,  Lord,  for 
the  godly  man  ceaseth  ;  for  the  faithful  fail  from  among  the 
children  of  men."  It  has  been  well  remarked  that  "  the  records 
of  time  are  emphatically  the  records  of  death."  When,  how- 
ever, our  Christian  friends  and  relatives  die,  they  sleep  in  Jesus — 
put  off  this  tabernacle,  and  rest  from  all  the  troubles  of  this 
world.  Their  end  is  peace.  We  are  assured  that  whenever 
they  cross  the  threshold  of  their  Father's  house  they  enter  upon 
a  state  of  perfect  holiness  and  everlasting  happiness,  and  arc 
raised  to  the  highest  honor  and  glory.  Our  loss  is  indeed  un 
speakahle  gain  to  them,  and  the  morning  of  the  resurrection 
shall  eventually  succeed  to  the  U     ;  night  of  the  tomb. 

"  For  this  corruptible  must  pui  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  put  on  immortality.  *  ♦  ♦  Then  shall  be  brought 
to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death  is  swallowed  up 
in  victory." 

Now  we  hear  a  voice — a  loud  and  powerful  voice  it  is  that 
comes  from  heaven.  It  says,  "  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead 
which  die  in  the  Lord." 

I  shall,  with  the  Divine  aid,  in  briefly  illustrating  our  text, 
call  your  attention — 

First — ro  the  conditiois  and  hrospkcis  ok  those  who  are 

BLESSED. 

Second — to  the  nature  of  their  blessedness. 

Third — to  the  life  and  labors  of  your  late  pastor. 

^}\Q  ^tiite  of  tl^e  l^i^l^teou^  f)ekd. 

1.  T/iey  arc  in  the  Lord.  Those  who  have  the  mind  of  the  spirit 
can  easily  understand  what  is  meant  by  this  expression.  And  of 
all  knov/ledge  it  is  the  most  important  for  us  to  know  that  we  are 


T 


WHO  ARF 


/;/  Christ.  These  words  indicate  that  there  is  an  intimate  union 
between  believers  and  their  Saviour-Cxod.  Yes,  even  here 
through  faith  they  are  united  to  Him  as  the  i:>ranchcs  are  to 
the  living  vine,  as  the  stone  in  the  building  is  to  the  foundation 
stone,  or  as  the  members  of  tlie  body  are  to  one  another  and  to 
its  life-giving  head.  They  are  a  part  of  Himself,  members  of 
His  body,  of  His  flesh  and  of  His  bones.  Their  whole  spiritual 
life  is  an  abiding  in  Him.  He  and  they  are  one.  As  the 
married  pair  are  "no  more  twain  but  one  flesh,"  so  is  Christ 
and  the  Church.  Are  they  freed  from  condemnation  ?  Do 
they  become  new  creatures  ?  It  is  because  they  are  in  Christ. 
When  justice  claimed  satisfaction  for  our  sins,  as  transgressors 
•)f  the  first  covenant.  He  was  made  under  the  law  to  redeem  us 
from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  now  by  His  obedience,  sufferings 
and  death,  a  righteousness  is  provided  and  imputed  by  which 
the  sinner  is  justified  in  the  sight  of  a  Holy  (xod.  Therefore, 
as  the  Apostle  expresses  it,  "  He  is  the  end  of  the  law  for 
righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth." 

Now  in  virtue  of  that  finished  work  and  complete  atonement 
made  known  to  us  in  the  glorious  gospel,  the  law  is  magnified, 
justice  is  satisfied,  God  is  reconciled,  the  sinner  is  pardoned. 
Yes,  tha  sinner  is  saved,  and  even  death,  which  comes  as  the 
wager  of  sin,  is  abolished.  All  the  blessings  we  need  to  make 
us  meet  for  the  heavenly  inheritance  are  bestowed  in  the 
exercise  of  sovereign  grace,  and  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ 
and  Him  crucified. 

'  *  His  death  your  peace  insures  ; 
Think  of  that  grave  where  He  was  laid. 

And  calm  descend  to  yours. " 

Oh  let  US  ever  remember,  my  dear  brethren,  that  everything 
which  concerns  our  present  comfort  and  future  glory  flows 
from  the  love  of  God,  in  accordance  with  his  eternal  purpose, 
as  the  consequence  of  our  being  in  Christ  Jesus;  and  "  He  that 
spared  not  His  own  son,  but  delivered  Hirn  up  for  us  all,  how 
shall   He   not   with    Him,   also,   freely    give  us   all    things." 


ii 


•tf 


tf    ■>  ; 


«  ■; 


10 

dation  of  .heworTd  ace    ^  '  ""  '^''°""  '^^  "«=  '™n' 

'-ey  are  caHel  t  H  I  te^ '" '-^  ''-'">"  "<  «™c..     ,„  Hi. 

blessed  wieh  all  spTiruaTw,  """^     '"  "'"■  ''"y  «« 

'He,a.sea.ed:r:  H:rspTH::r"'"'''^'=^-  '""'"^ 

have  eternal  life     "  Th,  '"■°""'*-    '"  "™  'hey 

"''-h    are   i„   Chris.    Z'^  ""Z  "°  ^"''^'""'""'n  to  them 
claims,     "It  is  r„H    i  ^""^  "Po^le  triumphantly  ex- 

demnelhr  '    "'"  "'^•■«"'''  *'"'    -    he  that  con- 

-  h:;::::;:::::; '""'  -" ''""'"  p-'-- "-  -ody 

closed  in  death    InTl  T"""'"  '°  '"'  """»"  "o--.  «^e 
-ver  him,  he  sleep"  in  ,         ""''  """  "" '"«'"  -«  'he  dust 
His  servants  b       AsC  "?'  ""'  """'  "'  '^  '""'  '"'"'  "'- 
'"a"  'hey  also  si.  on  Hi  X'  "'  ""  "'^  '^""'"'^  ">■■<'--  - 
also.  ""  "'™"':  and  because  He  lives  they  live 

'  Forever  wiih, he  L„,j. 

Amen,  so  let  ie  be. 

life  from  the  <l«dfe  in  ,h.,„<,rt, 
Tis  Immortality. " 

^-efhXet:;:::-:?:-'"  i  '^-^-^  -  -  ^» 

"'  'e-rs.  ,t  i3  far  o'the™  ."  "tlr  f-' "'''''' ''  '""  ""^X'". 
-e  prepared,  through  .race,  ort  J  ;r'-°"  °'  -o-  -"o 
what  comes  as  a  curse  to  .Others  is  ='">"<•■«  of  glory  ; 

blessings.     Believers,  "all  th  n^       """""^'"^  among  .heir 

Aponos,or  Cephas,  or  .he  J  rTd^r^^  T'"  "'"■"  ^    ' 
P-en.,  or  .hing.  .„  ,„„,    ,„  ^^  "^^^  »;  death,  „r  things 

Paul,  "  to  us  to  die  is  gain  ■•    yj  .   "  ■  '""  '^^  """" 

<"  'ha.  rich  inheritance  „hich  God  h  """  '"  ^"""  ^  ^  P-' 
S-e'y,  .hen,  the  prospect  ^dylg  .'irr'^  ""  "'  ^^'"- 
once  mtrod.  ced  to  .he  bl,«,H  '"'''• """  <"  being  at 

■■asreconci,  dbelievl^:x■::r;r°''''"'"^  --•  - 

-any  Of  .hem  have  been  enable^  ^.^  Z^^ZliZ 


1 1 


that  separated  them  from  the  land  of  promise,  to  sing  with  an 
Old  Testament  saint,  in  thoughts  which  the  Holy  Spirit  has 
dictated  and  delights  to  bless, 

"  Into  thine  hands  I  du  commit 
My  spirit  ;  for  thou  art  He, 
O  thou,  Jehovali,  God  of  truth, 
That  hast  redeemed  me." 

Or  again  :  "  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art  vith  me  ;  Thy 
rod  and  Thy  staff,  they  comfort  me." 

Death  to  the  believer  is  only  a  shadow  and  it  has  no  sting. 
There  is,  indeed  no  valley  through  which  the  believer  is  called 
to  pass  in  which  he  has  not  the  promised  presence  of  Christ. 
"Fear  not  for  I  am  with  thee."  "  When  thou  passcst  through 
the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  through  the  rivers 
they  shall  not  overflow  thee  ;  when  thou  walkest  through  the 
fire  thou  shalt  not  be  burned,  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle 
upon  thee."  "  I  will  ransom  thee  from  the  power  of  the  grave 
I  will  redeem  thee  from  death.  O,  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues; 
O,  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction."  The  weakest  and  hum- 
blest believer  has  therefore  no  real  cause  for  fear,  but  every  possi- 
ble encouragement  to  hope  and  believe  that  He  who  orders 
every  event  of  our  personal  history  after  the  counsel  of  His 
own  will  can,  and  will,  sanctify  afflictions  and  make  all  things 
work  together  for  the  good  of  them  that  love  God.  Death,  as 
we  have  seen,  will  be  their  gain,  and  though  they  must  lie 
down  in  the  grave  to  rise  not  again  till  the  heavens  are  no 
more,  over  them  the  second  death  will  have  no  power.  In 
Christ,  their  federal  head  and  representative,  they  died;  and 
because  He  is  the  living  one  and  has  the  keys  of  hell  and  of 
death,  they  are  alive  forevermore. 

Death  makes  no  change  in  the  relation  which  they  bear  to 
Him.  "  The  souls  of  believers,"  as  is  well  said  in  our  Shorter 
Catechism,  "  are  at  their  death  made  perfect  in  holiness  and 
do  immediately  pass  into  glory,  their  bodies  being  still  united 


12 


12 

'"  Christ  do  rest  in  th  ■ 

■;->  -y  d„,,  ;,  ,„  "J;;:^^''-  ""  .-e  res„„.e.,„„,.    Ves 

'•^-^•^t  of  man  conceive  -.r.  .u  "  ''"'•"  describe  or  th. 

;"'«  is  wriuen.a„,  carried  l"^^'  ■"r'""'^  '"  "'  -««  aboTe 
'"'>'-=     contended    i„  ^*'  "''"'  ™agi„an,  sneo.l  , 

testimon,    „f    f    "    <-PP->siti„„    ,„  ^^^    plain  »T'°"' 

'=*  expressed   in  oth^r  •  o'essed.     The  *:««,     • . 

;  ;-pre.e„,  in,perfec,  ./.""r^'^'^-an  be  gathered 
°f^"><=  glorified  »ain,.  '  ''^""'"'^  '"e  future  c„„di,i„„ 

«Pr3t„'::!:t;''''™P"-^'y  ■•"'■■"""ce  here  a  f       ■. 

•-^'v-saidt;:r::.r°'^"'^"™--^^^^^^^^^ 

"•■""■  'Reappearance  o    it,    T  """■  ^'»"">«ven-i,3  ,„ 
;-es  and  en,p,„,„„      and  lh«h     """'''  ""^'-"-a'  ex  r." 
'he  term,    .    ,    .    .',""'"''" 'hey  sing  at  all  as  we 

™-cl  he  brought  no  ,T™' ""  ''^'«' '«"■•  "ays  bm  1 
Paul  ,.  ^       ^  tidinifs  from    ^K  .        -^  '    "'  ^^en 

forh  .7  ""«"'  "P  '"  'he  fhird  he  ''^'°"  °'  ""^  ''ead. 

f-b-dde„,  to  report  what  he  helrd        ^""^  ""'  ""^  """"le,  o 
S^'P'ures  for  information  rLpe'      "  '""    ""■^"  '  '"n  '<>  he 
a^'oO^cf  heaven  as  compiet^^:;-- '"!- -«e,  .  «nd  th 

'°--mer  dispensation.        ,,  j,  °„    "'  '^'•"«  i"  'ypes  under  .he 
"•"■active  and  coveted  in  '  /  P'"''^""'"  "y  all  that  is  valued 
--^.  pain,.  White  rl  s     ToT '':^°"''  J-^ls.    th    „!  ' 
^eT;   "^'^'■''"''eii.^ethelo  :}:!:*  VP-'^-'-phasi:' 

""'  of  -what  I  shall   be 'and  u        """'"'ed  to  be  igno 

fory  and  „,  ^lessednes   m   th     ^^  "''^'"'™'  '"  hI 
--P'-ed  Sigh,  .he  g.oriou":p:i:i  r '   ""'-^   '»   ""^ 


IxiifeistttSSwaiit 


»3 

Although   we,   too,  like   our  deceased  brother,  who  thus  ex- 
pressed himself,  have  reason  to  believe  that  little  is  revealed  in 
Scripture   concerning  this  blessedness  ;    nevertheless,  we   are 
told  that  at  death  the  body  returns  to  its  kindred  dust  and  the 
spirit  returns   to  God  who  gave    it.     Christ  said  to  the  dying 
thief,  a  wonderful  trophy  of  Divine  grace,  "To-day  shalt  thou 
be  with  me  in  Paradise."     Our  Lord,  too,  when  reasoning  with 
the  Sadducees,  who  said  that  there  was  no  resurrection,  from 
these  words.  "  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Ja- 
cob," declared  that  "God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead  but  of  the 
living."  The  Apostle,  when  drawing  nigh  to  the  time  that,  after 
the  wear  and  tea'  of  life,  he  should  receive  the  martyr's  crown, 
a  crown  of  righteousness  and  of  glory,  takes  comfort  from  the 
glorious    gospel    which  can   support    us   amidst   the   severest 
trials  of  this  mortal  state.     He  believed  that,  absent  from  the 
body  he  would  be   present  with  the  Lord.     Again,  he  says,  "  I 
am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart  and  to  be 
with  Christ,  which  is  far  better."     The  same  idea  is  presented 
in  another  passage,  2  Cor.  v.  6-9,  '*  We   are  always  confident, 
knowing  that  while  we  are  at  home  in  the  body  we  are  absent 
from  the  Lord  ;  for  we  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight:  we  are 
confident,  I  say,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body 
and   to  be  present  with  the  Lord."     Again,  Paul  in  writing  to 
the  Hebrews  speaks  of  "the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect." 
The  proto-martyr  Stephen,  when   dying  in  the    confidence  and 
joyfulness  of  a  living  faith,  sav/  the  heavens  opened  and  the 
glory  of  God,  and  Jesus,  the  Son  of  man,  standing  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  and  he  prayed,  "Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

When  death  comes,  the  poor,  pale,  earthly  tabernacle  must 
lie  down  in  the  dark  and  cheerless  grave,  with  corruption  for 
its  father  and  the  worm  for  its  sister  and  mother;  but  at  the 
last  day, when  the  trump  of  God  and  the  voice  of  the  archangel 
shall  sound,  the  dust  of  the  saints  shall  start  into  life  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air ;  then  soul  and  body  shall  be  re-united  to 
part  no  more;  then  what  was  sown  in  weakness  shall  be    raised 


I  i 


I    .. 


'4 
«n   power,  and  what  w..«  c 

">ey  should   be  wUh  Chris  tjf       !     "   '"''  ""  "-  --Id 

;f  -  .he  „-,be.  and  ZZTIT  """  ~"'=-°-' '"  -ery 
'■''.^Paul  and  S„as  when  ,h  ,  ;erw  ""T  "'''"  ^'"«  P™'- 
-JO,ce  Hke  Pe.er  and  John   /^  T  '"  "'-'-'<^.  -d 

o  »"ff"  shan-e  for  .he  sake  Tc,      '  ""'  """"""  "°"''y 
".ey  reached  .he  heavenl/LLa    "V  '"""'"«  "«"  -h™ 
"""'^  and  .rials  „,  .his  life  and  ■'^•'"'"^  "'"P^"  =11  .he 
-"  Church  Of  ,he  nrstjrl  which  ""  "'"""'  ""-"'x 

""""»  in  .he  ™ids.  of  .h;;;""'"  "^^  "''«"  i"  heaven,  .he 
""'°  "ving  fo„„.,i„,  „,  ;;'-''™"e  would  feed  and  lead  .he. 

And  God  the  I  orH  r  ' 

Shall  wipe  off  ''"^^^« 

,     Tu         .  *"  *^'Pe  Off  every  tear  " 

3-    1  nere  is  then       /    • 

"°  ™°"  '"^  'he  exercise  of  fa^hand  I  "''  """^  """^  he 

"-  and  u„cer.ain,y  as       'arts  h     ^""^  ''  '"  "°'"<'  ^=  "ark- 
'^'ear  and  sa.isfac.„„  revelllL  '""•     •*■"  ""h  such  a 

"»-  «y,  wi.h  Job.  ..71'  T  '''  '""^'  ""Christian  can 
"-He  sha„  s.a„d  a.  .he  I.Ter  d"  ""  '"'''^'"-  «-h  and 
"'y  flesh  shall  I  see  God  -  "  '''~"  ""^  «"h. . .  .yet  in 

'- -,  r  Will  behold  ?hy  ^ace  irr;"-  '--'■'  ^"'P"-.  "A 
«ed  When  ,  awake  with  Thy"  enlf,!^";'"-'  '  ^^a"  be  sa.ls- 
■"  Chns.,  death  is  an  eveni  which  li      l"      '  '"""'•  ^"^  -" 
;"'.  '"■■-  -  alarm.    Because  oH,^?  "  contemplated  with- 
.""=-  heing  in  Hin,,  and  „„e  w,tl  H     '7  '"  '""'  «-ad,  and 
■"to  condemnation.    They  died  in  h""'.     ''  ''"'"  "''"  ^ome 

""-  --  Him  in   HisrUlrrf^rrmt  ''"'  '"'"'' 

'         '^^"'  We  now  makes 


15 

intercession  as  an  all-prevailing  advocate  before  the  throne. 
Thus,  according  to  the  arrangements  of  the  everlasting  cove- 
nant, they  have  that  eternal  life  secured  to  them  which  is  the 
reward  of  His  all-perfect  righteousness.  Sin  may  abound  in 
them,  but  grace  much  more  abf>unds.  Their  complete  redemp- 
tion is  secured,  and  whether  they  are  gladdened  when  on  earth 
with  the  sunshine  of  outward  prosperity,  or  walk  in  a  way  that 
is  darkened  by  the  mists  and  clouds  of  personal  and  domestic 
affliction,  or  even  the  shadow  of  death  itself,  at  last  all  will  be 
well  and  heaven,  with  its  joys  and  pleasures  and  songs  of  vic- 
tory, will  be  theirs  forever  and  ever. 

Here  they  may  be,  and  often  are,  called  to  drink  deeply  of 
the  waters  of  Mara,  but  still  there  will  be  some  clusters  of  the 
grapes  of  Eshcol,  even  in  the  wilderness,  some  dew  from  the 
darkest  cloud  in  this  dry  and  parched  land,  some  door  of 
hope  in  the  valley  of  Achor. 

The  promises  of  eternal  truth,  applied  to  the  heart  and  con- 
science by  the  Holy  Spirit,  give  strength  in  the  time  of  weak, 
ness,  comfort  in  the  season  of  sorrow,  and  joy  in  the  hour  of 
death,  gilding  the  dark  valley  with  the  light  of  an  eternal  day. 

Thus,  when  the  mystery  of  Providence  is  unfolded,  it  will 
be  seen  that  their  kind  and  loving  Father,  who  had  all  events 
under  His  control  and  at  His  disposal,  has  been  exercising  His 
own  dear  children  with  that  wholesome  discipline  which  was 
the  wisest  and  the  very  best.  Whether,  therefore,  on  the 
troubled  ocean  of  life,  they  passed  through  quiet  waters,  or 
were  buffeted  by  the  rough  and  angry  waves  of  a  tempest- 
uous sea,  they  shall  come  at  last  to  the  haven,  which  they 
desired,  in  safety  and  peace.  Thus  the  night  of  weeping  shall 
be  succeeded  by  a  morning  of  joy  and  gladness,  and  their  sun 
shall  no  more  go  down,  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  av/ay, 
and  the  days  of  their  mourning  shall  be  ended. 

In  the  second  division  of  our  subject  we  propose,  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  teaching  of  our  text,  to  consider 


^J|e  Ble^Kedne^K  of  tW,  ^i,„  ^.^ 

""  the  tr„,„„e.  of  .„,  ^.^J^,";"  "■-;  '"'iKUe.,  a„„  res,  f.„„, 
fummaee  feiicUy  which  .he  ,ld     ""  "■  '"  """  ■'"«'  "'  -n. 
;«<""  .he,„u,„,  ,„„  Hi„.  H    'r-  -"""'•'  ""  """  »'"■"■ 
^^"-"n „are    heavy  ,ade„.     Thev    J       "''"''"^ '"'"""'• 
X'    "niversai  law.     ■•  Ma„  j,  ,,, "'   ^"'  ""  «™P'i"n   fr„„, 
hfe,  even  .„  .1  "'   'o  trouble  "     Tk 

'       "  '"  "'<•  exiierience  of  the  rfcii  ,  "^  P™'*"' 

STmiv.     Wecr,.  .       L  "'^ '"'''Iren  of  God  !«  ..  r,      , 

we  are  taught,  indeed   th;..  ,1.  '  ''''  °' 

«'«  peculiar  to  the  life  of  faith     t       "  '"^  '""'^  """  '•■.xi. 
Psaln,ist  speak.,  when  he  says  '  Th       "       "'  "'^•''"  """  "-e 
-en,  neither  are  they  plagued  liJoth  '"  ""' '"  '™"'"'  "^  ""•" 
-«  conflicts  of  this  pre.se„,  Harris         "™"  ^"""''  '"'  ">■'» 
-■ne-imes  rea.ly  t„  say   wifctr '""•""""■  ""'  '^'"«'  "■»"  - 
"  ^  '  """■"  "ot  live  alwl;       I  rtr^"  "'  "-  "'   'oathe 
P-ed  or  >,nprepared,  whether  wi,"  ""'"'  "''«''"  P^- 

•J-  Every  breath  we  draw  ev/rv    "'"«  "^  """'"■"«f.  ali   must 
•°  '"e  ."n.b.  ..  The  days  oT'o,     '   ''"  ""  """^'  """«»  us  nearer 
•^"  .^  »«  «.  ..y  reaso'n  ,        '^  T  :"  "'^^'■^^"-  ^«-  and 
''^  ■»  '^.eir  strength  labor  and  s^'       '  ""  '""'^"^^  Vears, 
"nd  >ve  fly  away."  v„      /"'' """"^^ :  (or  i,    j,  ,„„„  ' 

•'- -" »o„,i:  thei:  r re::;:'"-  ^"  ^^^"-^  -'«--" 

•o  a  elo.se,  and  at  the  moment  of  h     7'  ""' °'  "^'"^  "rough, 
f  ng  away  wi.h  the  wicked   „?       ""'  '"^  '''"^-■.  -«ead  of 

,'h  for  the  people  of  God.    Oft '.t;,"^'"  ''-'''— i„. 
.  Th  s  .s  my  res,,  here  s,iii  ,„  ,.  J  ',  ""J  ^''"^"a"  "-ay  sing  : 

-  O-'e  evident,  „yfHe„d.s,     a  1"         °  ''"'   "  -"■■    " 
■'  -'  one  of  iudolen.  repo.^!  "■"'  "'"^=^  •"  '"  -^  ,ex, 

''".7' "f  -"Potion  ,,  „„,  „„, 


« 


17 

As  regards  those  who  die  in  the  Lord,  there  can  he  no  doubt 
that  after  havin^jf  borne  the  l)ijrden  and  lieat  of  the  (hiy,  their 
bodies  lie  down  in  peace  ;  they  taice  repose  in  the  sleep  of  thi- 
grave,  which  Christ  has  hallowed  by  being  Himself  laid  there, 
as  a  bed  of  rest  for  all  his  faithful  followers.  In  this  rest 
there  is  a  cessation  from  the  guilt  and  dominion  of  sin  and 
from  all  disquietude  and  grief. 

Still  the  soul  does  not  rest  from  praising  (iod  continually, 
for  His  works  of  wonder  done  o  the  children  of  men.  It  serves 
Him  day  and  night  in  His  temple.  In  the  holy  exercises  of  the 
celestial  world,  it  unites  with  all  the  loved  and  glorified  saints, 
who,  after  the  toils  and  tears  of  earth,  have  been  brought  to 
the  fellowship  and  felicity  of  heaven.  The  Christian,  in  this 
world,  is  a  soldier  under  the  Captain  of  salvation  fighting 
against  his  spiritual  foes.  Their  name  is  legion,  and  they  are 
not  only  very  numerous  but  very  powerful.  Although  he  has 
many  seasons  of  trial  and  temptation  in  the  battle  of  life,  he 
will  at  last  come  off  more  than  a  conqueror  over  every  enemy. 
The  Christian  here  is  a  traveler  journeying  to  the  better  land. 
Sometimes,  like  the  ancient  Israelites,  he  is  much  discouraged 
because  of  the  way,  but  trusting  in  the  love  and  faithfulness 
of  his  covenant  God,  he  pursues  an  onward,  ever  onward  course, 
which,  to  use  a  similitude  of  scripture,  is  as  "  the  shining  light 
thatshineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day  " — a  day  which 
no  cloud  shall  ever  overcast,  and  on  which  the  dim  shades  of 
evening  shall  never  close.  Since,  then,  the  soldier's  arduous 
fight,  and  the  traveler's  wearisome  journey,  shall  alike,  after, 
at  most,  a  few  summer  days  or  a  few  winter  nights,  come  to  a 
close,  who  would  not  pray  :  "  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his."  Ah  !  if  you  wish 
to  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  however  paradoxical  the  lan- 
guage may  appear,  you  must  be  crucified  with  Christ,  and 
nevertheless,  live  the  life  of  the  Christian.  You  must  die  unto 
sin  live  unto  righteousness,  and  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness. 
Then,  and  only  then,  will  you  die  the  death  of  the  righteous. 


if 


t8 

Then,  and  only  then,  will  you  inherir        . 

"ess  spoken  of  i„  ...  ,  ,,,/       '"''^'^'/  «"''  «njoy  that  blessed- 

2-   We    are  here  tni.rJ.. 
*'V  .......  ,.,/,V.„,„,,t*  ;::™;«  '"e  •.'e.se,,  dead   .Ha. 

words  have  .vi.l,  ,„e  o.her  S„    ,1  "'""'"'""'  >"'i'-"    -hese 
'o  "n<ler,.a„d  .he,V  „,ea„i     '„"''"'"' '•    '' "<"  "ifficd, 

""-nemen.  f„r  »i„  ,„„  he  f„„„d  ,„  ''  ""  "'  «™^''.  and  „„ 
""y  '"  "ur  own  .„.,,  „  ™;  '  ?  ""j'  --^^  "'  .he  ,a„  „.  ;„ 
"»  co„„ee.ed  wi.h  any.hi,,    '  hi'       .'"""'  "'  """■"•  "nd  men. 

■"  'he  sacred  serip.ures.     T„  t-  „v         "  """'"''  ^'="«"'«'' 
of    human  inability  is  aLo^er       ""'"'""'""'•  "-e   doc.rine 
"■-   doctHne   may  be  g    X   "  ""7"»"""'"-  ''n'    however 
"b^tina.ely  denied  by  ofh:'""^"";"^'"""    "V    «n.e,  and 
";  «"<.  can  ma.e  i..  .;,r::  'e'        ^     '7'  '""=  -  '"e  word 

after  .he  counsel  of  His  own  Will  can"  rin-h"   ""  """«» 
ne^'^  t"  ligh.,  from  bondage  ,„    L       ''""«"'"°'"  f™m  dark- 

Sa'-  .o  .he  kingdom  of  «od  ''  """  """^  ""  P-er  of 

When,  however,  (fod  give,   „,„„   .     . 
8-"    .o   sancify.     The    Christ :       .h   "T"'  ""  "'"  «''« 
""•■n.ain  good  works,  f„.  i.  i^    l'',,"""^'"^^'  '"    ireful    ,o 
«e  God,  and  ..wi.hou,  holine,    Zl        ^^  '"  "'""  "■"  «" 

'n  accordance  wi.h  .hese  v Ls  T      "'  "'  '"^  '-<'   ' 
'«.  prove  .he  reality  of  our  Ch  *'  'P""'"  "'  'n  our 

-'i«-n  of  Jesus,  benefi.  our  felWm'r   ""''"">"•  ""nor  the 
■n  the  sigh,  of  God.     They  a  ""Id     ;•"       "'  "'"  "'"^''^ 
^"^  the  blessedness  of  a  fuCe    t"     '"^^P-^Wy  connected 
"•at  do  His  commandmen.:      I.^?'  ""  "«'--"  «-  they 
;-e  Of  life.  ,„,  ^„,^^  ^    ^^^^-""^  "=-  ■•'«•«  to  .he  ; 

We  are  told  that  a.  the  last  dav  I  ^"'^^  '"'°  "•«  "ty." 

l-ord,  have  we  not  prophe  ied  r.T  '  "'  '"  '''"'''■  "^°"^' 
-ave  cast  out  devils'and  th^  n  m'  "T'  """  '"  '"^  """"= 
-orks .>■•  to  whom  He  will  Mv  ,•  7""'  '""^  """^  ^""O-ful 
f^n,  me,  ye  that  work  iniquitv  '         "'""   ""'"'  ^''"'  <)«?«" 


j.'  ? 


I') 

Th<)S«»  at  tho  same  time  who  have  died  In  the  F.ord.  in 
arcordance  witli  the  spirit  and  meaning  of  our  text,  will  have 
this  gracious  invitation,  "Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  I'ather,  inherit 
the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world," 

If  it  be  still  ask(  vl  in  what  sense  it  is  true  that  their  works  do 
follow  the  blessed  (lead,  we  answer,  in  this  at  least,  as  regards 
faithful  ministers,  that  those  converts  they  have  made,  those 
souls  they  have  built  up  in  faith,  holiness,  or  hope,  those 
mourners  whom  they  have  comforted  shall  follow  them  to 
heaven;  and  with  them  shall  be  carried  along  those  works  and 
labors  of  love,  located  for  a  time  on  earth  in  visible  form,  but 
having  a  place  in  the  souls  of  the  saved  and  translated  to  the 
land  of  immortality,  as  trophies  to  the  honor  of  those  agents  by 
whom  God  had  accomplished  His  purposes  of  grace  and 
salvation. 

Without  however  enlarging  in  the  way  of  more  fully 
illustrating  this  subject,  we  shall  now  turn  your  attention  to 
the  matter  of  the  life  and  labors  of  our  dear  departed  friend. 


Biojlr'kpl^idkl  Bketdl(. 


"  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord."  Such  were  the 
words  of  inspiration  which  first  came  to  my  mind  when  I 
received  tidings,  not  certainly  unexpected,  of  the  death  of  that 
faithful,  honored  and  lamented  minister  of  the  gospel  who 
has  been  recently  called  to  his  reward,  whose  shrouded  remains 
we  saw  so  lately  committed  to  the  peaceful  rest  of  the  silent 
grave,  and  whose  removal  from  amongst  the  living  we  all  so 
deeply  feel  this  day.  "  Ye  are  witnesses  how  holily,  and  justly, 
and  unblamably  he  behaved  himself  among  you  that  believe, 
exhorting  and  comforting  and  charging  every  one  of  you  as  a 
father  doth  his  children;"  *' warning  every  man,  and  teaching 
every  man  in  all  wisdom,  that  he  might  present  every  man 
perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 

For    myself,   I   can    most    sincerely   adopt   the    passionate 


'■  t 


I    ' 


30 

exclamation  of  David  over  Jonathan:  "  I  am  distressed  for  thoe, 
my  hrother;  vt-ry  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me."  Whilst 
I  dare  not  pour  out  all  the  fullness  of  my  heart  in  expressions  of 
regard  for  him;  yet,  to  ^jratify  to  some  extent  the  wishes  of  this 
mourninj;  con^;re)(ation,and  of  those  loving  relatives  and  friends 
\vh»t  knew  him  so  well,  and  to  whom  his  memory  will  ever  be 
so  dear;  above  all  to  ma^i^nify  that  ^race  which  made  him  what 
he  was,  and  to  encourage  the  living  to  be  followers  of  him,  even 
as  he  also  was  of  Christ,  it  devolves  on  me  to  make  some  special 
reference  in  improving  this  solemn  dispensation — and  I  regret 
that  my  sketch  must  necessarily  be  so  imperfect — to  a  few  of 
the  leading  incidents  in  the  life  and  character  of  your  deceased 
Pastor.  He  has  indeed  put  off  the  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 
nacle; but  when  we  sorrow  most  of  all  that  we  shall  see  his  face 
and  hear  his  voice  no  more  in  the  land  of  the  living,  that  which 
the  voice  from  heaven  proclaimed  to  John  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos 
— that  lonely  rock  of  the  iltgean  sea — that  which  the  servant  of 
Christ  recorded  and  the  spirit  of  God  enforced,  is  written  for 
the  consolation  and  encouragement  of  those  who  mourn  the 
pious  dead. 

Seeing,  then,  that  it  is  so,  let  us  rejoice  that  we  have  only 
committed  to  the  dust  all  that  is  mortal  of  this  departed 
follower  of  the  Lamb.  Having  throughout  a  long  and  laborious 
ministry  endeared  himself,  not  only  to  his  own  flock — all  the 
flock — but  to  the  church  of  Christ  in  this  and  in  other  lands  ; 
having  been  made  wise  in  his  day  and  generation  in  winning 
souls  to  Christ,  and  faithful  in  turning  many  to  righteousness, 
he  now  shines  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmanent  and  as  the 
stars  forever  and  ever. 

His  ransomed  spirit  has,  we  doubt  not,  entered  the  courts  of 
the  celestial  temple;  and,  whilst  we  mourn  here  on  earth,  there, 
where  parting  and  death  are  unknown,  where  sorrow  comes 
not,  where  sighing  is  never  heard  and  pain  is  never  felt,  with 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  patriarchs,  the  goodly 
fellowship   of    the   prophets,    the    glorious  company    of    the 


•••i 


.i^i'iiL-._jL>ji-, 


31 

apostlt's.  and  tin-  nohic  army  of  tin-  martyrs,  saints  of  ov«'ry 
an;t!  and  disjM'ns  iiion,  the  sacr.imcntal  lir»sts  of  <  liosvn  ones 
j^atlicn'd  from  the  foui  winds  of  lu>av<*n,  ton  thousand  linu's 
ifn  thousand  and  thousands  of  tliousands  wrarin^  crowns  of 
^lory  upon  their  heads,  and  having  harps  and  palms  of  victory 
in  tht'ir  hands,  he  sinjj;s  the  son^  of  salvation,  "  Unto  Him  that 
loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  hlood,  and 
hath  mad»' us  kin^s  and  priests  unto  (tod  and  His  father,  to 
Him  be  glory  and  d(»ininion  forever  and  ever.     Amen." 

"These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and 
have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  (iod.  and 
serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  t<'mple  ;  and  He  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  shall  dw«'ll  among  them.  They  shall  hunger  no 
more,  neither  thirst  any  more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on 
them,  nor  any  heal.  For  the  I.amb  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living 
fountains  of  water  ;  and  (Jod  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes." 

It  would  be  arrogance  in  me  to  attempt  to  describe,  because 
it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be,  what  the  Lord  hath 
l>repared  for  them  that  love  Him.  Permit  me,  however,  in 
seeking  to  improve  this  sad  bereavement,  which  has  gathered, 
in  addition  to  the  immediate  members  of  this  congregation, 
such  a  lai^e  assembly  of  sympathizing  friends  here  to-day,  to 
refer,  more  particularly,  to  a  few  facts  and  features  in  the  life 
and  character  of  one  of  the  church's  princes,  and  to  his 
noble,  self-denied  and  devoted  labors  in  the  Master's  cause. 
Some  one  has  said,  "There  are  so  many  ways  of  writing 
biography,  that  it  is  vain  to  inquire  which  is  the  best.  One 
canon,  however,  may  be  safely  insisted  on  ;  namely,  that  the 
record  of  a  man's  career  should  correspond  in  tone  to  the 
character  of  him  whose  life  it  chronicles." 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  the  farm  house 
of  Aughnavalog,  parish  of  Drum,  Ballyroney,  County  Down, 


22 


ff  1 

I 

I 


I    f* 


M^ 


'■'I 


!      \ 


Ireland,  on  the  ist  of  July,  1800.  His  parents  were  William 
and  Jane  Sommerville.  His  mother's  maiden  name  was  Kirk. 
He  was  their  first-born  child,  and  an  only  son.  They  ha  J, 
beside,  two  daughters,  Margaret  and  Susanna  Jane.  Of  these, 
the  latter  came,  after  marriage,  with  her  husband,  Mr.  William 
Maclean,  to  Upper  Canada,  and  died  there  at  a  comparatively 
early  age. 

The  other  sister  referred  to,  is  Mrs.  Moffet,  Drumdrinagh, 
County  Down,  and  she,  with  her  husband  and  their  family,  are, 
we  believe,  the  only  immediate  relatives  of  the  deceased  now 
living  in  that  part  of  the  country  where  Mr.  Sommerville  was 
born.  At  the  time  of  his  birth  there  was  no  settled  pastor  in 
the  church  with  which  his  parents  were  connected,  and  it  was 
on  a  Sabbath  when  the  Rev.  William  Stavely,  latterly  of  Kells- 
vvater,  preached,  and  preached  on  this  occasion  in  the  open  air, 
that  William  Sommerville  received  at  his  hand  the  sprinkling 
of  symbolic  water  in  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  His  parents 
were  in  comfortable  circumstances,  and  greatly  esteemed  mem- 
bers of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  congregation  of  Rathfri- 
land.  They,  indeed,  ranked  amongst  the  saints  of  the  earth 
and  the  excellent,  and  are  still  spoken  of  in  the  neighborhood 
where  they  so  long  resided,  for  their  intelligence  and  worth. 
They  were  distinguished  for  the  same  mental  and  moral 
qualities  which  so  pre-eminently  characterized  their  son — 
intellectual  power,  candor,  deep  social  sympathies  and  most 
unobtrusive  piety. 

Mr.  Sommerville,  it  is  said,  feared  the  Lord  from  his  youth. 
Naturally  he  was  blessed  with  a  very  cheerful  and  happy 
disposition  and  is  described  by  his  associates  as  remarkable 
for  that  vivacity,  warm-hearted  affection,  integrity  and  delight 
in  social  intercourse  which  made  him  a  universal  favorite  with 
the  old  and  young.  These  were  the  very  qualities  which 
adorned  the  character  of  our  respected  and  revered  friend  in 
after  life,  and  even  to  the  end  of  his  days,  reminding  us  that 
"the  child  is  father  of  the  man." 


[„T^^ 


At  a  very  early  period  we  are  told  that  he  took  much  delight 
in  study  and  especially  in  the  study  of  the  sacred  scriptures, 
and  gave  evidence  of  superior  mental  endowments.  His 
parents  were  able  and  disposed  to  gratify  his  taste  fo:  learning, 
and  he  had  therefore  the  privilege  of  attending  the  best  schools 
in  the  district  where  they  resided.  We  were  informed  by  Mr. 
Sommerville  himself  that,  previous  to  entering  college,  his 
classical  teachers  were  the  Rev.  John  Stewart,  then  the 
respected  minister  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Congregation 
of  Rathfriland,  and  the  Rev.  David  McKee,  secession  minister 
of  Anaghlone,  a  man  of  genius  and  great  originality  of  mind 
His  son,  the  Rev.  D.  McKee,  is  now  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  Rutland  Square,  Dublin.  We  have  often  heard  our 
deceased  friend  speak  with  much  respect  and  affection  of  his 
teachers,  when  disc;>ursing  of  the  experience  of  early  life,  or 
narrating,  as  he  liked  sometimes  pleai^antly  to  relate,  anecdotes 
of  his  childhood  and  youth.  It  is  evident  that  whether  from 
natural  talent  or  a  close  application  to  study  he  profited  in 
learning  above  many  others  of  like  age.  His  acquaintance 
with  English  literature  and  with  the  elements  of  the  classical 
language  was  accurate  and  extensive,  as  was  afterwards  shown 
in  his  Collegiate  course,  and  in  his  work  as  a  public  teacher 
and  an  author.  We  have  heard  him  at  one  time  say  that  he 
was  often  told  he  should  study  for  a  lawyer,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  the  suggestion  was  made  from  the  delight  which 
he  took  in  controversy,  and  the  primary  indications  of  that 
intellectual  acumen  for  which  he  was  afterwards  so  remarkable. 
He  was  likewise  possessed  of  a  very  logical  mind.  As  an 
illustration  of  this  he  used  to  tell  how  one  of  his  professors 
said  to  him  "  William,  you  never  open  your  mouth  in  prayer 
without  beginning  to  reason."  Although  some  other  profession 
might  have  presented  a  prospect  of  greater  worldly  advantages 
and  preferment,  his  thoughts  were,  it  appears,  early  turned  to 
the  gospel  ministry.  "The  merchandise  of  wisdom  was  to 
him  better  than  the  merchandise  of  silver,  and  the  gain  thereof 
than  fine  gold." 


I; 

li  I 


"II ! 


Ill 


I 
K 


\A 


After  having  finished  his  preparatory  course  of  education,  he 
entered  the  university  of  Glasgow  in  the  year  1816,  being  then 
only  in  the  seventeenth  year  of  his  age.  Of  this  early  period 
of  his  life  we  however  know  comparatively  little.  We  have, 
indeed,  heard  him  tell  of  the  many  days  it  sometimes  took  to 
pass  over  in  a  sailing  vessel  from  Ireland  to  Scotland  and  of 
one  occasion  when  he  had  to  travel  many  weary  miles  on  foot 
to  Glasgow,  from  the  ship  in  which  he  had  taken  his  passage 
arriving  at  a  port  different  from  the  one  intended. 

At  college  he  appears  to  have  been  specially  interested  in 
the  study  of  mathematics;  and  also  in  logic,  metaphysics  and 
moral  philosophy,  he  occupied  a  place  superior  to  many  of 
his  fellow  students.  He  prosecuted  his  collegiate  education 
with  so  much  diligence,  and  had  such  success  in  his  studies 
that  at  the  close  of  his  fourth  session,  he  took,  with  honorable 
distinction,  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts.  His  theological 
course  was  prosecuted  in  Scotland,  under  the  venerable  Dr. 
Andrew  Symington.  In  it  he  profited  not  a  little,  acquiring 
especially  an  extensive  acquaintance  with  the  sacred  originals, 
which  he  afterwards  carefully  cultivated  amidst  the  engrossing 
engagements  of  pastoral  and  missionary  labors.  After  having 
completed  his  sessions  at  the  Divinity  Hall,  and  given  the  usual 
trial  discourses  with  approbation  before  Presbytery,  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  everlasting  Gospel.  s    ' 

An  extract  from  his  diary  which  has  been  preserved  in  his 
own  hand-writing,  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  hidden  life,  by 
exhibiting  a  correct  and  pleasing  idea  of  his  feelings  and 
resolutions  at  this  interesting  period  of  his  history. 

"  At  Newton  Hamilton,  on  the  5th  day  of  December,  A.  D., 
1826.  Having  entered  upon  the  sixth  month  of  my  27th 
year,  I  obtained  license  from  the  Southern  Reformed  Presbytery 
to  preach  the  Gospel  of  our  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  Teach 
me,  O,  my  God,  the  awful  responsibility  of  the  office,  and  to 
discharge  the  duties  of  it  with  diligence,  with  zeal,  and  with 
love  to  Thee,  for  whose  glory  and  the  manifestation  of  whose 
mercy,  a  gospel  ministry  was  instituted." 


mm 


^5 

"  Enable  me,  O,  my  God,  to  feel  the  power  on  my  own  heart 
of  that  great  mystery  of  godliness  which  I  am  called  to 
preach  to  others,  to  know  the  value  of  that  Saviour  I  must 
recommend,  and  to  maintain  at  all  times  a  walk  and  conver- 
sation becoming  an  ambassador  of  the  meek  and  lowly 
Jesus.  Our  whole  dependence,  O  Blessed  Saviour,  is  in  Thee. 
Our  strength  is  in  Thee.  O,  strengthen  me  by  Thy  Spirit 
dwelling  in  me,  and  I  beseech  Thee  to  fulfil  Thy  promise  to 
me  which  Thou  didst  condescend  to  make  to  the  Apostles  when 
authorizing  them  to  go  forth  and  teach  all  nations,  and  to  ob- 
serve all  things  whatsoever  Thou  didst  command  them.  Pre- 
cious promise  !  Lo  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world.     Amen." 

As  a  preacher  Mr,  Sommerville  was  at  once  greatly  esteemed 
throughout  the  church  for  the  solidity  of  his  judgment  and 
the  originality  of  his  matter.  As  a  scribe  well  instructed  in 
the  Kingdom  of  God,  he  brought  from  the  treasury  of  Scrip- 
ture things  new  and  old,  realizing  very  closely  the  preacher 
Cowperthus  describes  : 

"  Simple,  grave,  sincere,  • 

In  doctrine  uncorrupt,  in  language  plain  ; 
And  plain  in  manner.     Decent,  sober,  chaste. 
And  natural  in  gesture. " 

In  the  year  1831,  the  late  Rev.  Alex.  Clarke,  (afterwards  Dr. 
Clarke)  of  Amherst,  Nova  Scotia,  who  had  been  sent  out 
about  five  years  previousl)%  by  the  Synod  of  our  church  in  Ire- 
land, to  these  provinces,  was  urging  that  some  promising 
young  man  should  come  across  the  Atlantic  to  assist  in  this 
extensive  mission  field,  for  then,  as  it  is  still,  the  harvest  was 
great  and  the  laborers  few.  Mr.  Sommerville,  who  was  al- 
ready greatly  distinguished  for  his  talent,  piety,  diligence, 
and  zeal,  combined  with  his  strong  attachment  to  Reforma- 
tion principles  was  unanimously  chosen  for  this  important 
mission.  ! 

The    Rev.    Professor    Houston,    D,  D.,  a   life-long   and   sin- 


\lmlHlm   TlWI   ilWHil  1111 


i   i   ! 


i  r- 


10 


:ii 


■f      ) 


36 

cerely  attached  friend  of  Mr.  Sommerville,  will  best  describe 
the  circumstances  which  relate  to  his  appointment  and  coming 
out  to  these  provinces.  He  thus  kindly  writes  me  :  "I  be- 
came first  intimately  acquainted  with  Mr.  Sommerville  as  a 
preacher,  shortly  before  my  own  settlement  in  the  ministry. 
I  recollect  that  he  was  greatly  spoken  of  throughout  the 
church  as  a  faithful  and  able  expounder  of  the  word.  Being 
secretary  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  and  having  earnestly  pre- 
sented to  the  different  licentiates  the  claims  of  the  British 
North  American  Colonies  as  a  desirable  field  of  Missions,  I 
hailed  with  no  ordinary  gratification  his  offer  to  become  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  few  Covenanters  and  scattered  Presbyterians  in 
Nova  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick." 

His  bodily  vigor  and  manly  independence  of  mind,  his  de- 
votedness  of  purpose,  and  genial,  loving  spirit,  showed  him  to 
be  singularly  fitted  for  such  an  undertaking.  The  ordination 
of  Mr.  Sommerville,  as  a  missionary  to  the  colonies,  took  place 
at  Ballylane,  on  Tuesday,  the  31st  of  May,  1831.  The  solemn 
services  were  conducted  in  the  open  air  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  assemblage  collected,  many  from  distant  places,  among 
whom  were  a  number  of  ministers  of  various  ecclesiastical 
bodies.  These  services  were  conducted  by  the  Southern  Pres- 
bytery, assisted  by  a  deputation  from  the  Board  of  Missions, 
consisting  of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Alexander,  Dick  and  Houston. 
The  Rev.  John  Stewart  preached  an  able  discourse,  which  was 
singularly  adapted  to  the  occasion,  from  Acts  xx.  24  :  "  But 
none  of  these  'hings  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear 
unto  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the 
ministry  which  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God."  The  sermon  was  replete 
with  lofty  views  of  the  Christian  ministry  and  faithful  coun- 
sels and  admonition,  suited  to  a  missionary  in  entering  on  a 
field  of  arduous  labor.  After  the  act  of  ordination  Mr.  Hous- 
ton addressed  an  affectionate  charge  to  the  missionary,  and  the 
Rev.  John  Alexander  preached  from  Isaiah  Hi.  7.  ;   v 


On  this  soiomn  occasion  Mr.  Sommerville  again  wrote  in  his 
diary  as  follows : 

"  O,   Thou  true   and    eternal    God,   who    art    our  Creator 
and  hast  an  absolute  right  to  dispose  of    all  Thy  works  as 
Thou  pleasest,  to  Thee  would  we,  in  the  strength  of  Thy  grace, 
desire  to  devote  the  remainder  of  our  days  in  the  service  of  the 
gospel  of  Thy  beloved  Son,  and  our  only  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  to  whom  be  glory  forever  and  ever.     Amen.     Unto  me, 
who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints,  is  this  grace  given  that  I 
should  preach  the  unsearchable   riches  of  Christ.     I  resolve, 
therefore,  to  study  Thy  holy  word  with  all  diligence  and  per- 
severance, that  by  the  assistance  of   Thy  Holy  Spirit,  accom- 
panying the  exercise  of  those    powers  which  Thou   hast  be- 
stowed, I  may  be  qualified  to  teach  the  way  of  truth  with  un- 
derstanding, to  preach  the  word  with  all  fidelity,  according  to 
that  measure  of  fortitude  which  thou  dost  impart,  without  re- 
gard to  the  fear  or  favor  of  man,  desirous  only  of  bringing  the 
people  amongst  whom  my  ministry  may  be  exercised,  into  sub- 
jection to  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  in  subserviency  to  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Messiah's  Kingdom,  and  the  advancement  of  Thy 
declarative  glory.     Accept,  O  Lord  God,  of  my  unworthy  offer- 
ing, and  grant  me  wisdom,  and  grace,  and  strength  continu- 
ally to  perform  this  my  vow. — W.  S."    Surely  we  may  here  to- 
day, in  this  house  of  prayer,  where  he  so  long  preached,  and 
addressing,  as  we  do,  those  who  have  had  so  many  opportuni- 
ties of  witnessing  his  faithful  and  devoted  labors,  thank  God 
that  during  a  ministry  of  forty-seven  years  he  was  enabled, 
through  grace,  so  faithfully  to  fulfil  bis  ordination  covenant. 
In  the  summer  of  1831,  Mr.  Sommerville  sailed  from  London- 
derry, Ireland,  in  a  merchant  ship,  and  after  a  stormy  passage 
of  six  weeks,  on   the  i6th  of  August,  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year,  he  arrived  at  St.  John,  as  a  missionary  to  New  Brunswick 
and  Nova  Scotia.  He  was  accompanied  in  his  passage  thither  by 
Mr.  (now  Dr.)  Andrew  Stevenson,  of  New  York, who  was  sent  out 
by  the  Board  of  Missions  to  the  colonies  as  a  catechist  and  teach  - 


§8 


;|i 


HJ 


er.  Between  him  and  Mr  Sommerville  there  was  formed  a  cor- 
dial fraternal  attachment,  which  was  influential  in  leading  Mr. 
Stevenson  to  prosecute  studies  for  the  ministry  and  in  prepar- 
ing him  for  much  usefulness  and  success  during  a  lengthened 
pastorate.  The  design  of  the  church  in  sending  out  Mr.  Som- 
merville was  chiefly  that  he  might  minister  to  the  members 
and  friends  of  our  church  in  St.  John  and  other  parts  of  New 
Brunswick,  as  these  alone  were  known  at  the  time  as  petition- 
ers for  a  pastor  and  the  regular  supply  of  gospel  ordinances. 

He,  therefore,  was  engaged  in  preaching,  after  his  arrival,  at 
several  places,  as  a  desire  was  expressed  to  hear  him,  in  the 
neighboring  province;  and  for  several  months  he  exercised  his 
ministry  at  Hopewell,  or  Chepody,  in  Westmoreland  Co.,  N.  B. 
We  have  often  heard  him  speak  of  his  visits  to  different  settle- 
ments of  New  Brunswick,  especially  St.  John,  Neripis,  London- 
derry, Jerusalem,  Southstream,  now  called  Barnesville,  Salt- 
springs,  and  other  places,  in  several  of  which  there  are  now  regu- 
larly established  congregations.  In  some  c  "  these  flourishing  dis- 
tricts of  our  Dominion,  we  know  that  there  are  some  still  living 
who  would  cheerfully  bear  testimony  to  his  energy,  persever- 
ance and  constancy,  amidst  difficulties  and  discouragements 
of  various  kinds.  There  were  doubtless  many  in  the  days  of 
other  years,  now,  perhaps,  his  joy  and  crown,  who,  without  his 
presence  amongst  them,  when  their  home  was  amidst  the  for- 
ests of  a  strange  land,  would  seldom  or  never  have  heard  a 
gospel  sermon.  In  the  settlements  which  he  visited,  as  the 
Head  of  the  Church  opened  a  door  for  him,  he  imparted  relig- 
ious and  moral  instruction  to  the  old  and  the  young,  wherever 
for  the  time  his  lot  was  cast. 

After  itinerating  in  New  Brunswick  for  such  a  period  as  we 
have  just  referred  to,  Mr.  Sommerville  was  constrained,  by  ur- 
gent calls  for  help,  to  come  over  to  Nova  Scotia,  an  older  and 
more  thickly  settled  province,  here  to  break  up  new  ground  by 
preaching  the  gospel  and  displaying  a  banner  for  the  truth 
throughout  many  districts  of  this  beautiful  country.     To  the 


^ 


29 

great  work  in  which  he  was  engaged  he  willingly  devoted  all 
his  energies,  and  prosecuted  it  with  untiring  diligence,  fervent 
love,  heartfelt  interest,  irrepressible  t.ithusiasm  and  unwaver- 
ing faith,  amidst  privations  and  reproaches,  in  vigorous  man- 
hood and  declining  years,  till  the  Master  whom  he  loved  so 
well  laid  him  aside  from  active  service. 

It  is  impossible  for  us  to  estimate — eternity  alone  can  tell, 
for  the  harvest  is  not  yet  all  gathered,  how  much  good  was 
effected  by  these  early  pioneers,  the  first  sent  out  by  any  sec- 
tion of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ireland,  to  look  after  the 
spiritual  interests  of  their  expatriated  countrymen  and  others 
on  this  side  of  the  great  waters,  and  who  cheerfully  accepted 
the  missionary  work  which  God  gave  them,  adopting  as  their 
motto,  "  This  one  thing  I  do." 

"Though  seed  lie  buried  long  in  dust. 
It  shan't  deceive  their  hopes. " 

*'  He  that  goeth  forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed, 
shall  doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves 
with  him," 

It  is,  perhaps,  allowable  here  to  refer  to  matters  of  more 
private  interpretation  when  describing,  to  some  extent,  the  his- 
tory of  our  deceased  friend.  In  the  year  1832  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Sarah  Barry,  daughter  of  Robert  McGowan 
Dickey,  Esq.,  of  Amherst,  N.  S.,  one  of  the  representatives  from 
the  county  of  Cumberland  in  the  House  of  Assembly,  a  gentle- 
man of  high  social  position,  well-known  and  respected  in  the 
neighborhood  where  he  resided  till  a  good  old  age.  By  this 
marriage  Mr,  Sommerville  had  ten  children.  Two  of  these 
died  in  early  life,  and  eight,  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  are 
still  living.  The  amiable  and  excellent  mother  of  this  large 
family  died,  after  a  short  illness,  in  the  month  of  February, 
1853,  One  of  the  sons  just  referred  to,  you  ail  favorably  know, 
as  he  was  co-pastor  with  his  venerated  father  for  several  years, 
and  is  now  minister  of  the  Second  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Congregation  of  New  York.     This  son  in  the  gospel,  although 


^gm^ 


llll 


:i  ! 


not  here  to  mingle  his  regrets  with  those  of  other  relatives,  will 
doubtless  feel  ti..  day  that  he  has  lost  not  only  a  loving  parent, 
but  his  constant  counselor  and  best  earthly  friend.  We  have 
reason  to  believe  that  since  he  left  his  native  province  he  has 
always  looked  to  his  father  for  advice,  in  reference  to  the  dis- 
charge of  those  duties  connected  with  the  important  ecclesi- 
astical position  he  now  occupies,  as  successor  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Stevenson,  of  whom  we  have  just  spoken. 

We  may  further  mention  that  Mr.  Sommerville  was  subse- 
quently united  in  marriage  in  September,  1854,  to  Jane  Eliza- 
beth, widow  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Woodworth,  and  daughter  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Caldwell,  a  much  respected  elder  of  the  Horton 
branch  of  this  congregation.  Four  children  were  born  as  the 
issue  of  this  peculiarly  happy  union.  Two  of  them  were 
called  away  in  early  life,  and  one  son  and  one  daughter  are  still 
living.  Our  departed  friend  has  therefore  left  a  widow  and 
five  sons  and  five  daughters,  with  several  grandchildren  to 
mourn  the  loss  of  such  a  husband  and  such  a  father. 

But  to  return  to  our  narrative.  Some  time  after  Mr.  Som- 
merville's  first  marriage,  he  was  asked  by  the  leading  members 
connected  with  the  old  Presbyterian  Church  of  Horton,  Kings 
Co.,  to  come  and  settle  there.  They  promised  him  the  use  of  a 
free  house  and  garden,  then  owned  by  the  congregation,  and 
such  a  monetary  salary  as  they  could  afford  to  give  for  preach- 
ing every  alternate  Sabbath.  The  correspondence  on  this  sub- 
ject; which  had  already  passed  between  him  and  the  congrega- 
tion, was  laid  before  Presbytery.  He  accepted  the  invitation 
and  commenced  his  ministry  in  Horton,  May,  1833.  ^^  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  believe 
that  he  was  thus,  in  the  providence  of  God,  called  to  labor 
amongst  those  who  greatly  valued  him  as  their  faithful  and 
devoted  pastor. 

During  the  early  period  of  his  settlement  in  this  place,  Mr. 
John  Allen,  of  Handley  Mountain,  Wilmot,  a  covenanter  from 
the  north  of  Ireland,  having  heard  that  a  Reformed  Presby- 


iMtt^pttM^^ 


31 

terian  minister  was  preaching  at  Horton,  made  a  visit  there  to 
see  him.  In  those  days,  as  no  railways  were  established  in 
any  part  of  the  country,  traveling  such  a  distance  involved 
much  toil  and  fatigue.  At  Mr.  Allen's  request,  however,  Mr. 
Sommerville  visited  Wilmot,  calling  on  his  way  at  Cornwallis 
West.  This  visit  led  to  the  commencement  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  which  afterwards,  and  till  lately,  the  Rev.  Robert  Stew- 
art was  pastor. 

At  the  time  referred  to,  Mr.  Sommerville  received  a  cordial 
invitation  to  supply  the  pulpit  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in 
Lower  Cornwallis,  and  we  have  his  own  authority  for  saying 
that  he  labored  there  as  a  preacher  once  a  month  for  two  years 
with  general  acceptance,  and  with  good  reason  to  hope  that  his 
ministerial  exertions  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  people  were 
honored  with  the  Divine  blessing. 

In  May,  1835,  a  call  was  presented  to  him,  through  Presby- 
tery, from  the  western  part  of  the  township  of  Cornwallis,  for  a 
portion  of  his  time,  and  was  accepted,  so  that  from  this  date 
till  the  end  of  his  ministry,  he  was  pastor  of  the  united  con- 
gregation of  Horton  and  Cornwallis.     For  a  long  time  in  Hor- 
ton, where  he  resided  till  1845,  in  Woodside,  from  which  he 
removed  in  1856,  and  in  Somerset,  his  home  from  that  period 
till  the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  engaged,  in  addition  to  his 
pastoral  duties,  in  teaching  school.     He  taught  altogether  not 
less  than  twenty  years,     Mr.  Sommerville  possessed  in  an  emi- 
nent degree  the  faculty  of  communicating  instruction.       He 
was  not  only  well  acquainted  with  what  he  undertook  to  teach, 
but  was  singularly  successful  in  securing  the  attention  of  the 
young,  and  in  giving  to  others  a  clear  understanding  of  any 
subject  brought  under  their  attention.     Many  now  living  in 
different  professions  throughout  the  province  and  elsewhere, 
attribute  to  his  strict  discipline  in  school,  and  to  his  skilful 
and  Careful  training  their  present  success  in  life.     As  an  in- 
stance of  the  hardships  he  endured,  and  the  self-denial  exer- 
cised, that  he  might  advance  the  cause  he  so  much  loved,  he 


3a 


I  ) 


I  ; 


I       1 1 


I 


is  known  to  liave  jjone  for  ono  winter,  once  a  fortnight,  to 
Horton  to  preach,  and  after  preaching  two,  and  often  three 
times  on  Sabbath,  to  luive  krft  for  home  in  the  dark,  cohl 
night  of  a  Canadian  winter,  or  at  an  unusually  early  hour  on 
Monday  morning,  so  as  to  be  in  time  for  his  school.  There 
he  would  faithfully  labor  all  day,  though  he  had  enjoyed 
scarcely  any  sleep  the  previous  night. 

The  large  Bible-class  which  met  every  Lord's  day  for  many 
years  in  this  church,  had  the  benefit  of  his  instructions.  You 
know,  also,  that  he  had  a  similar  class  numerously  attended, 
which  assembled  weekly  at  his  own  house  until  a  few  months 
ago,  when,  by  his  growing  physical  infirmities  he  was  pre- 
vented from  meeting  with  it.  This  class  consisted  of  the 
young  people,  and  many  even  i.i  advanced  life,  of  all  and 
every  denomination  from  the  neighborhood  round  about  Som- 
erset where  he  resided. 

Speaking  of  Mr.  Sommerville  as  a  pastor,  we  might  say 
that  next  to  his  intense  love  to  Christ,  his  attachment  to  the 
people  of  his  charge  was  his  ruling  principle  during  the  whole 
of  his  ministerial  life,  and  his  ruling  passion  even  in  the  im- 
mediate prospect  of  death. 

One  of  the  last,  probably  the  very  last  note  he  wrote  was  for 
the  purpose  of  making  inquiries  respecting  the  supply  of  the 
congregation,  and,  when  unable  to  write  with  his  own  hand,  he 
directed  a  note  to  be  addressed  to  Presbytery,  expressing  his 
desire  that  a  meeting  should  be  held  in  the  bounds  of  Horton 
and  Cornwallis  congregation  to  make  arrangements  for  the 
ministration  of  gospel  ordinances.  It  is,  indeed,  a  somewhat 
remarkable  fact  that  the  time  appointed  by  Presbytery  for  its 
meeting  here,  in  accordance  with  his  wish  was,  as  you  are 
aware,  the  same  day  during  the  past  week  on  which  we  were 
all  assembled  in  the  adjoining  grave-yard  to  commit  his  body 
to  its  kindred  dust.  The  Presbytery  carried  out  the  sugges- 
tion of  your  late  pastor,  it  fulfilled  his  last  request  and  met 
here,  but  alas !  it  was  immediately  after  his  funeral. 


iii 


laoifeiudditdi 


We  hasten,  however,  to  brln^   before  yoii  a  few  more  feat- 
ures of  his  character,  and  incidents  ()f  his  life. 

Mr.  Sommervilie  had  a  very  genial  and  lively  disposition, 
and  in  his  conversation  and  intercourse  with  ministerial  breth- 
ren, or  literary  and  religious  men  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact, he  had  an  easy  and  agreeable  manner  which  made  a 
most  favorable  impression  on  the  minds  of  all  those  with 
whom  he  associated.  When  any  topic  of  discussion  came  up 
there  was  always  a  freshness  and  originality  in  his  way  of  ad- 
vocating what  he  regarded  as  the  right  side  of  the  question. 
He  was  a  very  acute  reasoner,  and  possessed,  as  we  have  al- 
ready hinted,  of  a  very  logical  mind.  His  logic,  too,  was  of  a 
trenchant  character,  and  generally  based  upon  some  declara- 
tion of  Scripture,  to  which  he  always  bowed  with  supreme 
reverence.  Whilst  in  matters  of  indifference,  or  of  doubtful 
disputation,  he  was  never  tenacious  of  his  own  opinion;  in 
matters  of  principle  you  always  knew  where  to  find  him.  In 
deed,  he  was  regarded  wherever  he  was  known,  and  especially 
where  he  was  best  known,  as  one  that  was  valiant  for  the 
truth,  and  not  content  to  abate  one  jot  or  tittle  of  what  is  not 
ours,  but  God's — the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 

As  contrasted  with  all  this,  those  public  discussions  in  which 
he  had  occasion  to  engage  were  conducted  on  rather  a  severe 
and  forcible  style,  not  always,  we  are  certain,  agreeable  to  his 
opponents.  As  an  illustration  of  this  we  may  mention  that 
once,  not  many  years  ago,  certain  errorists  visited  Kings  Co., 
and  were  allowed  for  some  time  to  have  it  all  their  own  way. 
Many  friends  of  the  truth  saw  tl  at  some  were  in  danger  of 
being  thus  influenced  to  turn  aside  from  the  faith,  yet  felt  un- 
able to  cope  with  them  in  their  delusive  reasonings.  However, 
it  was  agreed  to  invite  Mr.  Sommervilie  to  deliver  a  lecture  in 
opposition  to  the  erroneous  views  they  were  endeavoring  to 
circulate.  As  may  be  supposed,  he  readily  accepted  the  invi- 
tation. At  the  close  of  his  address  he  could  not  forbear  to 
give  it  as  his  judgment  that  there  would  be  far  less  danger  of 


M 1^ 


34 

wanderinjr  heretics  doin^  harm  in  a  (omnmnity,  if  the  pro- 
fessed followers  of  Christ  were  to  take  higher  ground  them- 
selves, and  to  manifest  greater  fidelity  in  the  maintenance  of 
the  truth.  He  did  it  in  this  way  :  Those  whose  views  he  had 
been  combating  were  before  him  taking  notes  of  all  he  said, 
and,  after  closing  his  lecture  he  remarked,  looking  down  at 
them  from  the  pulpit,  "  You  seem  to  me  like  a  parcel  of  wood- 
peckers—they never  attack  a  sound  tree,  but  always  those  that 
are  unhealthy." 

.  Mr.  Sommerville's  publications  from  the  press,  whether  in 
separate  volumes,  lectures  delivered  on  several  interesting 
occasions,  or  frequent  articles  in  periodicals  written  for  the 
vindication  of  precious  truth,  were  distinguished  for  lofty 
conceptions  and  freshness  of  thought,  sound  logic,  fearless  intre- 
pidity, and  at  the  same  time  by  a  candid,  generous  spirit, 
which  opponents  were  compelled  to  respect.  When  it  is 
considered  that  these  productions  were  emitted  amidst  inces- 
sant labors,  with  little  leisure  for  study  and  little  access  to 
books,  they  bear  evidence  of  mental  abilities  of  the  highest 
order,  and  of  power  of  expression  and  cogency  of  reasoning 
seldom  equaled  in  our  day.  His  views  on  the  Baptist  contro- 
versy are  well  known,  and  by  some  may  be  regarded  as 
extreme.  He  was  led,  we  think,  to  give  great  attention  to  this 
subject  from  the  fact  that  he  met  with  some,  in  his  visits  to 
different  parts  of  these  provinces,  who  maintained  that  baptism 
by  sprinkling  is  not  baptism  at  all,  and  who  therefore  refused 
to  receive  into  the  memK-r  ;hip  of  the  visible  church  those  who 
had  thus  been  dedicated  lo  God  in  their  infancy  without  the 
initiatory  or.ananct  being  repeated  by  immersion  in  their 
adult  years.  Believing,  as  he  did,  that  there  could  not  be  pro- 
duced a  single  instance  of  immersion  in  the  New  Testament, 
he,  as  a  Paedo  baptist,  argued  for  baptism  by  sprinkling. 
As  regards  the  subjects  of  baptism,  he  believed  that  this  sacra- 
ment is  properly  administered  to  adults  on  their  making  a 
credible  profession  of  their  faith,  and  to  the  infant  offspring  of 


■imi:m^mm 


.15 

sutfi  as  arc  nu'mhcrs  of  tlw  visible  (  hiin  h,  on  the  irnmnd   of 
their  bcin^  bom  nifmbrrs  of  the  Kin>{<loin, 

On  this  subject  Mr.  SoininervilU'  published  several  pam- 
phlets, and  so  lately  as  1X66  a  work  Ironi  his  pen,  entitled  "A 
Dissertation  on  the  Nature  and  Administration  of  the  Ordi- 
nance of  Haptistn.  "  was  printed  in  Scotland.  This  treatise 
was  widely  circulated,  and  very  favorably  reviewed  in  some  of 
the  leading  periodicals  of  the  British  Isles* 

Thoujfh  some  of  the  controversial  writinv;s  referred  to  in  our 
previous  remarks  nwiy  have  appeared  to  his  opponents  to 
evidence  a  spirit  of  acrimony,  you  will  justify  me  in  sayinj; 
that  those  wliose  views  dilferefl  most  from  his  on  several 
doctrinal  points,  such  as  wv  have  alluded  to,  esteemed  and 
respected  him  ff)r  the  strai^flit-forward  consistency  and 
independence  of  his  Christian  character,  for  the  sacredness  in 
which  he  held  the  personal  reputation  of  all  those  with  whom 
he  was  engaged  in  controversy,  for  his  genuine  personal  piety, 
for  his  unbending  integrity  and  the  evident  sincerity  of  his 
views  with  regard  to  those  great  principles  which  he  believed 
and  taught.  None  indeed,  perhaps,  beyond  his  own  people, 
lament  more  deeply  than  they  do  the  loss  sustained  by  his 
death. 

The  funeral  procession  which  a  few  days  ago  accompanied 
the  remains  of  your  much  loved  pastor  to  their  last  earthly 
resting  place  was  more  than  a  mile  in  length,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  probably  the  largest  and  longest  procession  ever 
seen  in  Kings  Co.  Thus  all  classes  and  denominations  freely 
testified  their  affectionate  regard  and  esteem  for  the  deceased. 
Indeed  it  seems  to  be  the  general  belief,  for  we  have  heard  the 
testimony  of  many   to  this   effect,  that  his  death   is  a  great 


*Of  lectures  published  on  diflerent  subjects  we  might  mention,  among 
others,  "The  Rule  of  Faith,"  delivered  before  the  Protestant  Alliance,  in  Halifax, 
1859 ;  "Southern  Slavery  not  Founded  on  Scripture  Warrant,"  delivered  before  the 
Acadian  Lyceum,  Wolfville,  1864;  "  Study  of  the  Bible  ;"  "Family;"  "Social 
Position  of  Reformed  Presbyterians, "  &c. 


36 


Bi  n 


til'- 


t  i  i ! 


\hi 


public  loss,  especially  to  this  part  of  the  province  where  he 
lived  so  long  and  died  so  much  regretted  by  all  those  who  had 
the  privilege  of  knowing  his  worth. 

Mr.  Sommerville's  views  on  the  subject  of  Psalmody  are,  like 
his  views  on  Baptism,  familiar  to  you  all.  We  may  remark 
that  in  that  part  of  the  country  where  he  first  settled,  Watts's 
imitation  of  the  Psalms  of  David  was  generally  used  by  Pres- 
byterians in  public  worship.  He  himself  refers  fully  to  this 
in  some  of  his  publications,  and  we  will  best  present  the  facts 
referred  to  in  his  own  words  :  "As  soon,"  says  he,  "as  I  had 
been  introduced  to  the  Presbyterian  families  in  Horton.  the 
Psalms  engaged  my  attention.  Proceeding  from  house  to 
house,  and  conversing  with  the  people  on  this  subject,  all  mani- 
fested a  willingness  to  have  our  version  of  the  Psalms  intro- 
duced, provided  it  might  be  done  harmoniously  and  without 
alienating  the  affections  of  one  from  another.  Of  this  I  gave 
them  assurance,  as  from  the  beginning  I  gave  them  reason  to 
believe,  that  if  they  did  not  agree  respecting  this  matter  we 
must  part  company.  The  next  step  was  to  give  body  to  their 
consent,  and  for  this  purpose  I  carried  round  a  paper  for  signa- 
tures adapted  to  the  lowest  case  of  consent:  *  We  whose  names 
are  subscribed,  members  or  adherents  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Horton,  fully  persuaded  that  there  is  no  impropri- 
ety in  the  introduction  of  the  Scottish  version  of  the  Psalms  of 
David,  it  being  a  literal  translation  of  inspired  Scripture,  and 
aware  that  there  are  many  who  conscientiously  object  to  the 
use  of  psalms  composed  by  uninspired  men,  however  excellent 
and  pious,  and  also  that  with  the  exception  of  three  or  four 
congregations  in  this  province,  none  else  than  the  Scottish 
version  of  Scripture  psalms  is  used  by  the  Presbyterians  in  the 
British  Dominions,  do  agree,  for  the  relief  of  such  as  conscien- 
tiously prefer  them,  and  to  promote  uniformity  among  the 
Presbyterians,  already  too  much  divided,  to  the  introduction  of 
this  literal  version  of  the  Psalms,  praying  that  the  Head  of  the 
Church  may  afford  us  His  countenance  and  blessing,  as  we 
desire  to  promote  His  glory.' "     None  refused  to  sign. 


mma 


37 

He  published  in  1834  a  pamphlet  entitled,  "  The  Psalms  of 
David,  designed  for  standing  ur.e  in  the  Church."  In  1855,  a 
volume  from  his  pen  was  issued  on  the  same  subject,  entitled, 
"The  Exclusive  Claims  of  David's  Psalms;  "  he  assigning  as 
a  reason  for  this  additional  publication,  that  the  title  of  the 
smaller  work  did  not  express  all  that  was  intended  by  it.  Mr. 
Sommerville's  own  words  are  :  "  God  has  been  pleased  to  fur- 
nish us,  by  inspiration,  with  a  collection  of  songs  ;  not  songs 
scattered  up  and  down  in  the  Bible,  to  be  collected  according 
to  our  judgment  and  taste,  but  a  collection  of  which  some 
songs  are  found  which  we  meet  with  in  other  parts  t)f  Scrip- 
ture, while  some  are  excluded — a  collection  as  well-defined  as 
Moses  and  the  Prophets,  and  recognized  by  our  Lord  as  a 
specific  section  of  the  inspired  volume."  The  "  Exclusive 
Claims,"  referred  to  above,  may  all  be  briefiy  condensed  into 
a  single  syllogism.  God  gave  an  inspired  psalmody  to  the 
Church,  to  be  used  in  the  ordinance  of  praise  under  the  Old 
Testament  dispensation.  God  has  never  given,  since  that  time, 
any  other  psalmody.  It  follows,  therefore,  as  a  matter  of 
necessity,  that  the  inspired  psalms,  hymns,  and  spiritual  songs, 
should  still  be  used  in  the  praises  of  the  Church. 

It  is  likewise  well  known,  to  those  acquainted  with  his  views 
of  religious  worship,  that  he  always  conscientiously  opposed 
the  use  of  instrumental  music,  and  regarded  this  as  an  innova- 
tion not  authorized  by  the  infallible  rule,  which  is  not  the 
word  of  man,  but  in  truth  the  word  of  God.  A  characteristic 
illustration  of  this  was  furnished  during  his  last  visit  to  St. 
John,  about  a  year  ago.  Having  engaged  to  preach  in  the 
forenoon  for  the  pastor  of  the  "  St.  John  Presbyterian  Church," 
the  use  of  which  house  of  worship,,  after  the  great  fire  a  few 
weeks  before,  was  kindly  granted  to  the  Reformed  Presbyte- 
rian Congregation  for  an  afternoon  service  every  Sabbath,  Mr. 
Sommerville  was  just  about  to  leave  the  session  room  for  the 
pulpit  when  all  at  once  he  said  to  the  pastor,  "  But,  Dr.  Ben- 
net,  you  use  an  organ  in  your  church  !  "  "Yes,"  was  the   reply. 


IV  ^ 


I 


y 


■  ■:;8  .  • 

"TlK'ti,"  sciid  Mr.  Sommerville,  "I  cannot  pr^ach  for  you,  I  will 
be  a  listener  and  yon  will  preach  yourself."  Quite  a  colloquy 
took  place  between  the  two  reverend  jrentlemen  regarding  the 
difficulty,  Mr.  Sommerville  urging  his  conscientU)us  scruples 
and  also  the  necessity  of  consistency  with  the  stand  he  had 
always  taken  against  the  use  of  such  accompaniments  in  public 
worship.  The  pastor  of  the  church  proposed  to  call  the  pre- 
centor that  he  might  lay  the  case  before  him.  He  again  could 
say  nothing  about  it,  till  he  would  consult  the  choir  as  to 
whether  they  could  sing  wanting  an  instrument.  The  precen- 
tor at  last  returned  with  the  satisfactory  announcement  that 
the  choir  would  attempt  to  conduct  the  service  of  praise  at 
that  diet  of  worship  without  the  organ.  The  matter  being  thus 
amicably  arranged,  the  waiting  congregation  was  at  once 
relieved  from  any  further  anxiety,  and  Mr.  Sommerville,  after 
briefly  explaining  the  morning  psalm,  as  was  generally  the  cus- 
tom amongst  Presbyterians  in  former  times,  that  the  worshiper 
might  be  taught  to  sing  with  the  understanding,  preached 
with  his  usual  vigor  and  earnestness  a  very  instrucfive  evan- 
gelical sermon.  .    :     -.     . 

Were  I  now,  in  a  few  words,  to  express  my  estimate  of  our 
greatly  respected  father  and  friend,  after  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance of  some  thirty-seven  years,  I  would  say  that  few  minis- 
ters of  any  branch  of  the  Christian  church  equaled,  and  I 
certainly  think  that  few,  if  any,  excelled  him  in  those  natural 
and  acquired  intellectual  accomplishments  for  which  he  was  so 
distinguished.  As  a  theologian,  he  was  a  Calvinist  and  an  able 
divine.  As  an  ecclesiastic,  he  was  a  Presbyterian  of  the 
stricter  sort.  In  his  preaching  he  was  Puritanic;  faithful,  zeal- 
ous and  devoted  as  a  pastor,  and  fearless,  manly,  and  uncom- 
promising in  advocating,  whether  by  speech  or  pen,  the  cause 
of  truth,  or  what  he  regarded  and  believed  to  be  the  truth, 
whenever  or  wherever  it  was  assailed.  As  a  teacher,  he  was 
gifted  with  talents  of  a  very  high  order;  as  a  husband  and 
father,  he  was  thoughtful,  affectionate  and  kind  ;  as  a  friend. 


J'^.'i 


.19 

he    was  genial,  constant   and   generous,   one    who    could    l)c 
implicitly  relied  on,  and  who  r  ver  wounded  your  feelings  by 
coldness  or  indifference;  as  a  man  and    a  Christian,  he   had  a 
warm  heart  and  an  open  hand  for  every  brother  in  need.     You 
know  that  in  every  relation  of  life  he  was  faithful  and    consci- 
entious.    One  distinguishing  feature  of  his  character,  to  which 
we  have  not  referred,  was  his  humility.  This  grace,  priceless  as 
the  gold  of  Ophir,  he  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree.  Such  was 
his  lowliness  of  mind,thac  he  was  ever  ready  to  put  himself  out 
of  sight  that  Christ  might  be  exalted.  At  one  time,  a  few  years 
ago,  when  he  was  in  a  very  feeble  state  of  health,  1  delicately 
asked  him,  by  letter,  for  some  items  of  his  personal    history. 
After  referring  to  this  part  of  my  correspondence,  he  modestly 
gave  the  characteristic  reply  :  "  I  can  only  answer  you  in  a  few 
words— William  Sommerville  was  born  July  i,  1800.     He  died 

,  a  sinner  saved  by  grace." 

It  is  not,  indeed,  too  much  to  say  of  this  departed  servant  of 
Christ,  in  the  words  of  Rev.  Dr.  Houston,  "  In  all  his  work,  Mr. 
Sommerville  manifested  a  noble,  heroic,  Christian  spirit,  charac- 
terized by  eminent  fidelity  to  his  Master's  cause,  and  strong  fra- 
ternal love  to  all  the  true  servants  of  Christ.  An  intelligent, 
faithful  attachment  to  a  covenanted  testimony  was  one  of 
the  most  prominent  features  of  his  life,  as  zeal  for  its  advance- 
ment was  with  him  an  absorbing  and  consuming  passion." 

Dr.  H.  further  adds  :  ''  In  one  of  his  communications,  when 
speaking  on  public  questions  relating  to  church  profession,  he 
remarked,  that  much  as  he  valued  our  principles,  he  rejoiced 
more  to  see  them  gradually  leavening  communities,  civil  .id 
ecclesiastical,  than  in  the  addition  of  members  to  his  own  flock, 
or  to  the  church  with  which  he  was  connected,  as  thus  there 
was  opened  up  a  brighter  prospect  of  their  uni\  ersal  ascend- 
ency and  triumph."  On  another  occasion  he  writes  :  "  His 
letters  to  me,  frequently  written  after  exhausting  labors  and 
amid  scenes  of  pastoral  and  domestic  joys  and  sorrows,  were 
truly  Caniiphonia    letters— the    outpouring  of    the   heart.     By 


'':'■■  -il 


w 


IS* 


uM\ 


40 

one  marked  feature  they  were  ever  distinguished,  a  generous 
forgetfulness  of  himself  in  the  deepest  sympathy  for  others 
and  the  most  intense  concern  for  their  welfare.  The  love  of 
Christ  constrained  him,  not  to  live  to  himself,  but  to  his  bless- 
ed Master  and  for  His  cause  and  servants.  To  him,  indeed,  to 
live  was  Christ  and  to  die  was  his  unspeakable  gain." 

As  an  illustration  of  his  undying  attachment  to  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  I  will,  by  permis- 
sion, furnish  a  brief  extract  from  his  last  will  and  testament, 
written  in  1875.  He  says  ;  "  After  many  years  of  study  and 
labor  and  experience  of  the  trials  and  privations  arising  ou : 
of  the  maintenance  and  the  efforts  to  advance  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian  testimony,  I  would  not  abate  in  any  degree  my 
earnest  advocacy  of  the  same  principles,  being  fully  persuaded 
of  their  scriptural  character  and  confident  of  their  ultimate 
triumph." 

Mr.  Sommerville  was  indeed  a  covenanter  of  the  good  old 
type  and  mould,  a  man  of  true  honor  and  independence  of 
spirit,  who,  doubtless,  like  many  of  whom  the  world  was  not 
worthy  in  the  olden  times,  would  have  laid  down  his  life  on 
the  altar  of  principle,  if  called  thereto,  rather  than  cast  off  his 
allegiance  to  Him  who  is  the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of 
Lords. 

To  the  land  of  his  nativity,  which  he  visited  in  1840  and 
1858 — twice  since  he  came  to  these  provinces — he  ever  cher- 
ished the  deepest  love  as  a  patriot  and  a  Christian.  I  may  here 
mention  an  incident  connected  with  his  last  return  visit  to  Ire- 
land, which  illustrates  his  popularity  wherever  he  preached 
Christ.  An  address  of  thanks  was  presented  to  him  after  the 
Sabbath  service  on  board  the  steamer,  signed  by  fifty-three 
fellow  passengers,  expressing  in  the  highest  terms  their  obli- 
gations for  pleasant  and  profitable  intercourse  with  him,  and 
for  the  religious  services  which  he  had  conducted. 

To  the  church  of  which  he  was  a  minister,  and  by  which  he 
was  ever  regarded  as  one  of  her  most  faithful  standard  bear- 


41 

ers  he  cherished  a  very  devoted  attachment.  In  the  last  con- 
versations I  had  with  him  on  my  farewell  visit  to  his  dying 
bed,  he  referred  with  much  affectionate  tenderness  to  the 
names  of  those  brethren  in  the  British  Isles  with  whom  he 
was  most  intimately  acquainted,  and  then  added  :  "  Tell 
them  I  am  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his  might." 
The  high  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Synod  of  Ireland,  with  which  he  was  so  long 
ecclesiastically  connected,  was  shown,  as  I  can  truly  testify 
from  being  present  at  the  time,  by  a  resolution  of  heartfelt 
sympathy  and  respect  proposed  by  the  Rev.  Ur.  Houston,  and 
unanimously  and  cordially  adopted  at  its  last  meeting  in  Bel- 
fast, June,  1878,  when  tidings  had  just  been  received  of  his 
very  serious  illness.  The  resolution  is  thus  recorded  in  the 
minutes  of  Synod  ; 

"  The  Synod,  having  heard  with  much  concern  of  the  afflic- 
tion, apparently  unto  death,  of  their  brother,  the  Rev.  W. 
Sommerville,  take  leave  to  express  thus  publicly  unfeigned 
thanks  to  God  for  the  grace  given  to  their  beloved  brother, 
shown  in  the  wisdom,  fidelity,  and  heroic  spirit,  amid  manifold 
labors  and  trials,  which  he  evinced  during  so  many  years  of  an 
earnest  ministry.  They  declare,  moreover,  their  high  appreci- 
ation of  the  invaluable  service  which  he  rendered  to  the  cause 
of  a  Covenanted  testimony,  by  preaching,  pastoral  labors,  and 
able  and  seasonable  meetings.  Should  it  be  the  will  of  the 
exalted  Master  whom  he  so  ardently  loved,  and  faithfully 
served,  to  remove  him  now  from  his  earthly  labors,  we  would 
commend  him  in  prayer  to  His  Covenant  care  and  support,  in  the 
earnest  desire  and  assured  hope  that  there  shall  be  ministered 
to  him  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ." 

With  the  close  of  his  life  and  ministry,  many  of  you  are 
probably  as  well  acquainted  as  I  am.  It  may  not,  however,  be 
unprofitable  to  notice  here  a  few  of  the  cherished  sayings  which 
he  uttered  during  his  sickness  and  towards  the  close  of  his 
earthly  pilgrimage.  , 


?lf 


I*;; 


•     42 

'  During  his  illness  he  turned  eagerly  tf)  the  Psalms  which  he 
always  loved  so  well,  and  for  the  exclusive  use  of  which  in  the 
worship  of  God  he  contended  so  faithfully.  The  xxxii.,  li.,  and 
cxxx.  were  special  favorites.  He  would  have  them  read  over 
to  him  again  and  again.  Very  precious  to  him  was  the  Gospel 
of  Saint  John,  xiv.-xvii.,  inclusive.  He  frequently  repeated 
the  opening  verses  of  that  famous  farewell  discourse,  and 
talked  with  himself  about  the  house  with  its  many  mansions. 
On  one  occasion,  a  few  days  before  his  death,  his  faithful  and 
devoted  wife  heard  him  repeat  th'^  single  word  "Bring,"  again 
and  again,  with  great  earnestness.  She  waited  till  he  would 
exp;ess  his  desire  more  intelligently,  and  he  then  proceeded 
with  the  words,  "  Bring  me  to  Thy  holy  hill  even  where  Thy 
dwellings  be." 

*'  Often,"  says  his  son  Robert  in  writing  to  me  of  his  last  visit 
to  the  sick  bed  of  his  dying  parent, — "  Often  during  the  few 
days  I  was  with  Father  I  heard  him  murmur  as  he  fell  asleep, 
'  where  I  am  ;'  showing  that  his  mind  was  dwelling  on  his 
favorite  theme.  On  Sabbath  night,  the  last  I  was  to  spend 
with  him  before  returning  to  my  field  of  labor,  he  requested 
me  to  read  to  him  the  valedictory  discourse  of  the  Saviour,  and 
his  wonderful  intercessory  prayer.  I  did  so,  and  he  would  fre- 
quently say,  'read  it  again,'  and  'then  it  becomes  you  and  me 
to  meditate  on  these  great  truths.  At  14th  chapter,  13th 
verse,  15th  chapter,  i6th  verse,  i6th  chapter,  23rd  and  24th 
verses,  he  interrupted  me  to  lift  up  his  heart  in  gratitude  and 
praise  for  such  gracious  assurances.  Even  when  least  conscious 
of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  his  thoughts  were  evidently 
engaged  upon  those  matters  which  pertained  to  the  glory  of 
the  Redeemer,  and  which  had  occupied  his  mind  during  a  long 
and  laborious  ministry.  When  greatly  distressed  for  breath 
he  would  be  constantly  engaged  in  audible  prayer  for  himself. 
An  oft-repeated  expression  was,  *  Oh  that  I  might  know  Him 
in  the  power  of  His  resurrection.'  Then  he  would  say,  *  The 
Lord  is  very  near  to  them  that  call  upon  him.'     His  prayers. 


he 
the 
nd 
ver 
pel 
ted 
nd 
ns. 
nd 
ain 
uld 
ded 
'hy 


43 

whether  offered  when  usleep  or  awake,  were  in  the  words 
Oi  scripture.  His  confidence  in  the  Saviour  never  failed. 
The  last  words  that  fell  from  his  lips,  when  I  said  good- 
bye, were,  "His  grace  is  sufficient  for  me.  We  will  meet 
again."  Once,  when  a  stranger  spoke  to  him  about  his  pros- 
pect, the  short  reply  was.  "  That  is  a  matter  which  was  settled 
long  ago."  To  a  christian  friend  who  called  and  asked  him 
how  he  was,  he  answered,  '  very  near  heaven.'  " 

How  well,  my  dear  brethren,  do  such  comforting  words  and 
hopeful  thoughts  as  these  remind  us  of  the  sayings  of  Christ  : 
'*  If  a  man  keep  my  sayings  he  shall  never  see  death  ;  '  "  Peace  I 
leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you,  not  as  the  world 
giveth  give  I  unto  you."  What  sweet,  tender  and  consolatory 
promises  are  these.  Are  they  not  exceedingly  great  and 
precious?  Are  they  not  full  of  truth  and  beauty?  They  are 
as  the  dew  of  Hermon,  the  dew  that  descended  on  the  mountains 
of  Zion,  and  with  them  God  commands  his  blessing,  even  life 
that  shall  never  end;  for  "Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in 
the  Lord." 

Thus  concludes  our  brief  record  of  this  eminent  servant  of 
Christ,  who,  having  served  his  generation  by  the  will  of  God, 
without  a  struggle  or  a  sigh,  gently  fell  asleep  on  the  morning 
of  Saturday,  the  28th  of  September,  aged  78  years.  "  Mark  the 
perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright:  for  the  end  of  that  man  is 
peace." 

His  life's  work  is  finished,  and  he  now  rests  from  his  labors 
in  the  everlasting  mansion  which  our  ever-living,  ever-loving 
Redeemer  has  gone  to  prepare  in  the  kingdom  of  glory  for  all 
those  who  are  faithful,  as  we  believe  he  was,  unto  death. 

But  "  he,  being  dead,  yet  speaketh."  As  we  looked  on  the 
shrouded  remains  of  your  beloved  pastor  prepared  for  burial, 
we  thought  that  his  serene,  dignified  and  expressive  counte- 
nance, even  in  death,  seemed  to  represent  his  noble  character 
in  life.  There  he  lay,  like  a  christian  warrior  taking  his  rest, 
but  his  ransomed  spirit  had  already  gone  to  dwell  in  the  house 


"^^4 


44 

of  the  Lord  forever.  Still,  \vc  felt  as  if  a  voice  addressed  us 
from  that  cold  and  lifeless  clay,  saying,  "  Weep  not  for  me  ;  I 
have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have 
kept  the  faith,  I  have  received  the  conqueror's  crown,  I  enjoy 
the  conqueror's  rest." 

"Thou  art  gone  to  the  grave,  but  we  will  not  deplore  thee.  , 

Though  sorrow  and  darkness  encompass  the  tomb  ; 

The  Saviour  has  passed  through  its  portals  before  thee, 
And  the  lamp  of  His  love  was  thy  guide  through  the  gloom. 

Thou  art  gone  to  the  grave,  it  were  wrong  to  deplore  thee 

When  God  was  thy  ransom,  thy  guardian,  thy  guide  ; 

...      - '.  ",i\ 
He  gave  thee  and  took  thee,  and  soon  will  restore  thee 

Where  death  has  no  sting  since  the  Saviour  has  died. " 

"Thanks  be  to  God  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  ,    .    ' 

"  Be  ye  steadfast,  unmovable,  always  abounding  in  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not 
in  vain  in  the  Lord."  Thus,  walking  in  the  footsteps  of  these, 
who,  like  the  departed  servant  of  Christ  of  whom  we  have 
spoken,  through  faith  and  patience  inherit  eternal  life,  we  shall 
be  brought  to  meet  him  again  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  that 
kingdom  of  glory  prepared  for  all  the  followers  of  the  Lamb. 

Then  our  text,  so  full  of  promise,  may  animate  and  encour- 
age you  all  your  journey  through  life,  comfort  you  in  death, 
when  taking  a  last,  fond  farewell  of  those  weeping  relatives 
you  are  never  to  see  again  in  this  world  ;  and,  after  death  has 
passed  on  you,  as  it  has  on  many  once-valued  members  of 
this  bereaved  congregation,  these  words  will  furnish  a  most 
appropriate  epitaph  for  the  monument,  which  dear  and  loving 
friends  may  erect,  in  token  of  the  affection  which  they  bore  to 
you  in  life,  and  of  the  hope,  the  good  hope,  which  sustains 
them  and  cheers  them,  even  when  they  mourn  your  death  : 
"  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  hence- 
forth ;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them."    Amen. 


kw  -^i 


(.v,«ilii>t:.wlMd<i2: 


49 


Sl)^ei\dix. 


, 


Minute  of  a  meeting  of  the  Reformed  Presbytery  of  New  Bruns- 
wick and  Nova  Scotia,  held  at  Cornwallis.  N.  S..  on  Tuesday,  ist  Oct., 
1878,  in  reference  to  the  death  of  Rev.  Wm.  Sommerville. 

Whkkkas,  it  has  pleased  Almighty  God.  our  Heavenly  Father,  to 
call  very  recently  from  service  on  earth  to  the  higher  service  of 
Heaven  our  esteemed  and  dearly-beloved  brother  the  Rev.  Wm.  Som- 
MERViLLK.  we  embrace  this,  the  earliest  opportunity,  in  our  united 
capacity,  to  express  our  great  veneration  for  his  character,  and  our 
sense  of  the  irreparable  loss  we  have  sustained  by  his  removal. 

A  true  friend,  a  cheerful  companion,  a  confidential  and  judicious 
counsellor,  a  self-sacrificing  missionary  and  a  valiant  defender  of  the 
distinctive  principles"  and  position  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
Church,  he  was  peculiarly  dear  to  all  his  brethren. 

He  has  fallen  at  his  post,  and  long  will  his  name  be  fragraui  and 
his  niemory  sweet  to  those  who  knew  him  and  could  rightly  appre- 
ciate his  eminent  virtues.  May  we  who  survive  him  have  grace  to 
walk  in  his  footsteps  that,  when  we  have  finished  our  course  we  may 
receive  the  "well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant;  enter  into  the  joy 

of  thy  Lord." 

A.  McLeod  Stavelv,  Moderator. 

J.  R.  Lawson,  Clerk. 


The  following  extracts  from  a  letter  addressed  a  few  years  ago  to  one 
of  the  members  of  the  Society  of  Littleton,  Me.,  U.  S.,  are  valuable  as 
showing  the  deep  interest  which  Mr.  Sommerville,  one  whom  we  were 
accustomed  to  speak  of  as  "  the  Father  of  our  Mission,"  always  took  in 
the  missionary  stations  connected  with  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 

Church  : 

"  I  have  ;o  thank  you  and  the  other  members  of  the  Society  for  the 
kind  reception  I  had  from  you  during  my  visit  in  the  month  of  June. 


■.,*^St-iMia£M 


n.'' 


1  was  much  ^jmliried  to  lind  their  stoudfast  adhcrt'nco  to  the  principles 
which  they  have  professed,  and  hope  they  will  still  not  only  cleave  to 
them  but  carefully  instruct  their  children  in  them,  and  endeavor  also 
to  make  them  known  in  the  place  where  Providence  has  cast  their  lot. 
"The  principles  you  have  espoused  are  recommended  by  the  blood  of 
the  martyrs  of  Scotland,  but  their  special  recommendation  is  that  they 
are  the  principles  of  the  Divine  Word  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ.  The  best  recommendation  of  your  profession  will  consist  in  a 
holy  and  blameless  life  that  you  may  adorn  the  doctrine  of  the  blessed 
Saviour. 

"No  arguments  will  sustain  your  cause  if  your  godly  deportment  does 
not  second  your  profession.  You  will  have  many  difficulties  to  con- 
tend with,  but  so  had  the  faithful  followers  of  Christ  in  every  age.  Your 
principles  are  un|K)pular  and  you  will  have  to  bear  the  reproach  of 
singularity  and  uncharitableness.  It  will  strengthen  you  to  call  to 
mind  the  Saviour  who  endured  the  contradiction  of  sinners  against 
himself.  The  thought  of  this  will  keep  you  from  being  weary  and 
faint  in  your  minds.  You  will  sometimes  be  almost  discouraged  with 
the  fear  that  being  few  you  are  not  likely  soon  to  have  a  minister  and 
the  regular  dispensation  of  gospel  ordinances.  Many,  in  some  localities, 
despairing  of  this  have  abandoned  their  profession  and  gone  into  other 
bodies.  I  hope  you  will  be  enabled  to  wait.  See  that  your  faith  fail 
not.  God  is  able  to  bring  others  to  you.  You  are  set  for  a  light  and 
I  hope  your  light  will  so  shine  that  your  good  works  will  be  seen  and 
your  Father  glorified.  Others  will  tell  you  that  there  is  no  hope  and 
advise  you  to  join  them.  God  is  able  to  send  you  help  sooner  than 
you  could  expect. 

"After  the  Revolution  the  covenanters  in  Scotland  were  without  a 
minister  for  sixteen  years,  and  they  had  no  visible  prospect  of  having 
one  ;  but  their  principles  were  too  valuable  to  be  given  up,  and  they 
waited  and  prayed,  prayed  and  waited,  and  God  heard  them  and  raised 
them  up  a  helper  where  it  was  least  expected.  Now  there  are  minis- 
ters and  people  holding  their  testimony  in  England,  Scotland,  Ireland, 
and  America.  If  these  people  had  given  up  in  despair,  for  aught  we 
can  see,  there  would  not  have  been  a  covenanter  in  all  those  places. 

"For  you  to  give  up  would  be  like  putting  out  the  lamp  of  Reforma- 
tion principles  where  you  live. 

"Your  Society  meetings  will  be  a  blessed  means  of  keeping  alive  the 


JMI9*' 


tire  in  the  smoki 


« 


> 


47 

that  these 


,.  flax.  I  hope  that  these  Hocieties  wilt  b<'  rovjularly 
kept  up.  and  that  okl  and  yinin^  will  not  rease  to  pray  and  t'n<onra>i;e 
one  another,  till  (lod  be  pleased  to  visit  you. 

"Small,  comparatively,  as  you  are  now,  (iod,  who  called  Abraham 
alone  anfl  blessed  and  increased  him,  is  able  to  make  you  a  great 
multitude,  and  a  blessing  to  all  around  you." 


The  following  reference  to  the  character  and  work  of  Mr.  Sommer-     . 
ville  i.s  taken  from  a  notice  of  his  death  in  the  IVifnrss  (Fk»lfa.st,  Ire- 
land) of  October  25th,  1878  :  ^^ 
"The  principal  sphere  of  Mr.  Sommerville's  extensive  labors  wsws  the" 
province  of  Nova  Scotia. 

"  Into  this  field  Mr.  Sommerville  entered  as  a  stranger,  having  very 
few  adherents  of  the  covenanted  cause  to  welcome  him,  and  hardly 
any  others  to  offer  him  encouragement  in  his  arduous  enterprise.  His 
abilities  as  a  powerful  evangelical  preacher,  and  a  resolute  defender  of 
Scripture  doctrine,  his  manly  genial  spirit,  and  warm-hearted  benevo- 
lence won  for  him  in  a  short  time  general  esteem,  and  attracted  con- 
siderable numbers  in  various  parts  of  the  province  to  embrace  the 
cause  which  he  advocated.  For  a  period  of  more  than  forty-six  years 
he  labored  with  unabated  vigor  to  diffuse  the  truths  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  grand  principles  of  the  Covenanted  Reformation  ;  and  he 
enjoyed  the  high  reward  of  not  only  gathering  under  his  ministry  in 
various  scattered  congregations  and  societies  a  flock  who  were 
devotedly  attached  to  him,  but  also  of  witnessing  the  doctrines  and 
order  for  which  he  contended,  embraced  to  a  considerable  extent 
throughout  surrounding  ecclesiastical  communities.. 

"  Besides  his  manifold  labors  as  a  missionary  and  a  pastor,  Mr.  Som- 
merville was  an  author  of  doctrinal  and  controversial  works  of  sterling 
excellence.  A  work  which  he  early  published  on  the  "  E.xclusive  Use 
of  the  Psalms  of  David  in  Worship  "  reached  a  third  edition  in  America ; 
and  as  a  tribute  to  its  superior  ability,  .several  ecclesiastical  bodies  in 
the  United  States  in  their  periodicals  claimed  the  honor  of  the  author 
being  connected  with  them  in  fellowship.  '  A  Dissertation  on  the 
Nature  and  Administration  of  the  Ordinance  of  Baptism,  in  Two 
Parts,'  was  reprinted  in  Scotland  in  1866.  Of  this  work,  the  late  Dr. 
Wilson,  of  the  General  Assembly's  College,  testifies  in  his  able  book 
on  '  Baptism.'  that  it  is  characterized  by  singular  acuteness  and  ability. 


i» 


;i'  :/• 


r 


4« 

Fn  addition  to  the.st',  Mr.  Sommervilii' emitted  s«'Vi'ral  pamphlets,  and 
was  a  frequent  contributor  t^  provincial  pafHTH  and  periodiculM  of 
articles  on  reliKious,  ecclesiastical,  and  (educational  subjects.  His 
controversial  works  were  uniformly  characterized  by  such  clearness 
and  force  of  argument,  and  such  candor  and  ({encrosity  of  feeling, 
that  opponents  were  constrained  to  respect  and  admire  him.  Amidst 
his  arduous  and  incessant  labors  it  was  matter  of  wonder  to  those 
who  were  favored  with  his  acquaintance  and  friendship,  that  he  was 
able  to  keep  abreast  of  the  literature  of  the  day,  and  to  write  so  much 
that  exhibited  accurate  and  lofty  thought,  ardent  and  intelligent  zeal 
for  the  truth,  and  that  possesses  far  beyond  an  ephemeral  value. 

"The  chief  excellence  of  his  character  and  work  as  a  missionary  and 
pastor  lay  in  his  fervent  love  to  Christ,  and  hisearnest  desire  to  gather 
souls,  not  to  swell  a  party,  but  as  jewels  for  the  Mediator's  crown. 
During  his  lengthened  ministry,  not  a  few  testified  in  life  and  at  death 
that  they  had  received  saving  benefits  through  his  instrumentality. 
His  memory  will  be  long  fragrant  in  the  colonies  through  which  he 
labored,  and  in  the  United  States,  where  he  was  well  known  and  cor 
dially  esteemed.  His  latter  end  was  consistent  with  his  life  of  fa 
and  of  active  and  self-denied  benevolence.  In  death  he  was  sustaineu 
by  the  assured  joyful  hope  of  the  Gospel." 


T 


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-.M^Jill 


